A day after the Indian Supreme Court judges adopted a resolution in a Full Court meeting, unanimously deciding that details of their assets and wealth be made public, a brief overview of several countries and laws governing public disclosure of their assets for government officials and constitutional authorities, including judges.

United States

The Congress enacted the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, which requires detailed financial disclosure by high-level employees in all three branches of the federal government. This federal legislation is complemented by a host of financial disclosure laws at both the state and local levels. The Ethics Act requires annual disclosure of financial information by the President, Vice-President, members of Congress, federal judges, presidential appointees, and other officials and employees earning at or above a specified payscale or with policymaking responsibilities. The required disclosures include the nature, source, and amount of income, gifts and reimbursements, assets and liabilities, and transactions in real property and securities.

Argentina

The Act on Ethics in the Public Office requires every state official, including members of the judiciary, to file a declaration of assets and information. The Act authorises access to such information to anyone making a request in writing. The request must include the name of the person requesting the information, the reason for wanting it and how it will be used. The Act also establishes sanctions if the information received is used for illegal, commercial or solicitation purposes, but those sanctions do not apply for the use of information by the media.

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