Less than four days after Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan told The Indian Express that members of the judiciary would have no objection in disclosing assets provided the law that the government intends to bring on the subject ensures there will be no harassment, the Union Law Ministry is ready with a draft of the proposed law.

Sources said that keeping in view the reservations expressed by the CJI, the draft contains adequate safeguards against attempts by disgruntled or unscrupulous elements to access information submitted by judges.

“What we are proposing is that judges would have to declare their assets at the time of taking oath and file annual statements to their respective Chief Justices, with copies also sent to a designated state or Central government authority. But this information won’t be in the public domain. It won’t be available under the Right to Information Act,” said a senior officer of the Law Ministry.

At present, judges declare their assets at the time of taking oath and the information is kept with the respective High Court or the Supreme Court. Despite the Central Information Commission asking the Supreme Court to make public details of assets of members of the judiciary, the Supreme Court has refused to do so. The CIC order stands stayed by the Delhi High Court.

Under the proposed law, the judges would also have to declare the assets of members of their families.

The officer, however, clarified that the draft would be taken by Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily to the CJI for discussion.

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