The Delhi High Court has admitted the Supreme Court’s appeal against Justice Ravindra Bhat’s Sep.2 judgment in the assets case. LAOT’s earlier posts can be read by clicking the label, judges’ assets. I found the following newspaper reports on yesterday’s proceedings in the HC useful for the purpose of record, and following-up: Mail Today, TOI and IE1 and IE2.

LAOT supplements: The counsel for the respondent, Prashant Bhushan urged an early and speedy hearing on the matter because the Court’s reputation was at stake, and that the issues involved were very simple, and would not take time to resolve. He also questioned the Supreme Court’s decision to appeal as it tended to lower the image of the Judiciary in the eyes of the public. The A-G, while replying to his contention, said that the Court was well within its rights to appeal against the September 2 judgment, without being influenced by the public perceptions to the verdict. Earlier, he agreed to amend the appeal, as suggested by the Bench, so that Central Information Commissioner is not mentioned as a party to the appeal. The appeal will now be heard by a 3-Judge Bench of the HC on Nov.12 and 13. It is significant that the Bench made some oral observations questioning the merits of the appeal, which challenged the binding nature of the Supreme Court’s 1997 resolution seeking voluntary declaration of assets by Judges.