Just 13% of HC judges, over 36% at district, subordinate levels women: Govt
Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told Parliament the government was commitment to diversity in the appointment of judges to ensure decision-making processes become more responsive
Just 13% of the high court judges (106) and over 36% at the district, and subordinate levels (7,199) were women as on August 4, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has told Parliament while emphasising the government’s commitment to diversity in judicial appointments to ensure decision-making processes become more responsive, inclusive, and participatory.
Meghwal said just three of the Supreme Court judges were women while responding to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member R Dharmar’s question on Thursday regarding steps being taken to address the gender gap in the judiciary.
He said the government has been requesting the chief justices of high courts to consider women and candidates belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes, and minorities, to ensure social diversity in appointment of judges in higher judiciary.
The Supreme Court has 34 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The high courts have 775 judges while the sanctioned strength is 1,114.
Meghwal underlined the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and high courts is a constitutional process and the government only processes recommendations the Collegium sends to it.
In April, a Tata Trusts report titled India Justice Report said the national average of women judicial officers was 35%. “Across the justice system, one out of 10 is a woman. Only 13% of high court judges and 35% of subordinate court judges are women.” The report added Goa district judiciary had the highest or 70% of women judges followed by Meghalaya (62.7%), Telangana (52.8%) Sikkim (52.4%), and Mizoram (51.2%).
