By IANS,
Chennai: Under a proposed law making it mandatory for high court and Supreme Court judges to disclose their assets, declaring false information will be considered misconduct, Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan said here Saturday.
“Failure to declare the assets or declaring false asset details will be considered as misconduct on the judges’ part and can be a ground for their removal from service,” the chief justice said.
He was interacting with reporters after inaugurating a guest house for judges.
A bill providing for annual disclosure of assets of the judges of the higher judiciary is expected to be introduced in parliament next week.
Asked if there was any pressure on the judiciary from the government with regard to this bill, the chief justice said: “We have been doing that (declaration of assets). Judges declare their assets to the chief justice on their appointment.”
Earlier, Balakrishnan advised lawyers to refrain from protesting over issues not related to the profession and also cited the large number of pending cases.
He said around 200 family courts will be set up across the country soon.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi reiterated the request for a Supreme Court bench in Chennai and for use of Tamil as the official language in the Madras High Court.
“To enable common people to approach the Supreme Court I am renewing by request for setting up a Supreme Court bench in Chennai,” he said.
Citing the resolution passed by the state assembly to make Tamil the official language of the high court he appealed to the chief justice for support in this regard.