In a landmark decision with implications for elections nationwide, a bench of the Supreme Court ruled that candidates contesting elections are not obligated to disclose each and every moveable property owned by them in their affidavits, unless such properties are of substantial value or reflect a luxurious lifestyle.

The bench, comprising justices Anirudhha Bose and Sanjay Kumar, made this pronouncement while delivering a verdict on the election of independent MLA Karikho Kri from the Tezu assembly constituency in Arunachal Pradesh in 2019. The court overturned the July 17, 2023, judgment of the Itanagar bench of the Gauhati High Court, which had previously declared Kri’s election as “null and void”. A detailed judgment on the matter is pending.