Bar Association Flags Concern Over Women's Representation In Higher Judiciary

The Supreme Court Bar Association on Saturday flagged the disproportionately low representation of women judges in the top court and high courts across the country.

A resolution passed by the bar body said, "It is hereby resolved to request the Chief Justice of India and the Collegium to give urgent and due consideration to the elevation of more women judges in the forthcoming rounds of judicial appointments, both to the Supreme Court and the high courts." The bar body said it is a matter of record that several high courts, such as Uttarakhand, Tripura, Meghalaya and Manipur, presently have no women judges, and that across the country there are about 1,100 sanctioned posts of high court Judges, out of which nearly 670 are occupied by men and only 103 by women while the rest are vacant.

"The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) expresses its strong disappointment that in the recent round of appointments to the Supreme Court, no woman judge from the Bar or the Bench was elevated, despite the fact that since 2021, no woman judge has been appointed to the Supreme Court. At present, there is only one woman judge serving on the bench of the Supreme Court," the bar body said.

It also said that SCBA president Vikas Singh wrote to Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on May 24 and July 18, urging that at least proportional representation to the posts in the higher judiciary, including the Supreme Court and the high courts, be filled by women.

"The SCBA firmly believes that greater gender balance on the Bench is essential not only for ensuring fair and equal representation, but also for strengthening public confidence in the judiciary, enriching judicial perspectives, and reflecting the diversity of our society in the highest institution of justice," the bar body said.

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