With great respect to the custodian of the Indian democracy, the Supreme Court of India and at the same time impelled by the ethics of journalism and having a strong faith in one’s fundamental right as guaranteed by the Indian constitution, it is one’s duty to comment upon a news published in an English daily concerning the Supreme Court of India.
The Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition which contended that judges were under an obligation to divulge their assets under the RTI Act, if sought under the right to information Act.
A few weeks ago, the Chief Justice of India Mr.K.G.Balakrishnan held that the Supreme Court of India will not come under the purview of Right to information Act and the judges need not divulge their actual assets. But with due regards to the Chief Justice, K.G.Balakrishnan, it is submitted that gone are the days when one believed that ‘King can do no wrong’ and one cannot deny the universal law that ‘No Man is above Law’.In a country where the ‘Rule of Law’ reigns supreme and ‘All are Equal before the Eyes of law’, how can the Chief Justice say that Judges are immune to RTI Act or they do not come within the purview of RTI Act. After all, it is the duty of the legislature to enact a law and more competent than the Supreme Court of India to say who should come within the purview of RTI Act. It is the duty of the Supreme Court of India only to interpret it in case of any dispute that comes before it as to the RTI Act.
Again when a dispute arises concerning the subject matter of the dispute hovering around the Supreme Court of India itself, how can it entertain or dispose any petition?How far is it competent.? Certainly it is a case of judicial overreach and the Supreme Court of India certainly has transgressed its limits.