Former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana has raised concerns about the low representation of women in the higher judiciary in India and emphasized the need for stronger efforts to achieve gender balance in the courts. Speaking about the issue he stated that there appears to be a lack of strong intent to ensure adequate representation of women in the appointment of judges to High Courts and the Supreme Court.
Justice Ramana explained that while successive Union law ministers have often written to the chief justices of High Courts requesting them to recommend the names of women advocates and judicial officers for elevation as High Court judges the process has not been strongly pursued to ensure consistent representation of women. According to him such requests have been made in routine communications but there has been limited emphasis on ensuring that women are effectively represented in every recommendation sent for judicial appointments.
He highlighted the contrast between the representation of women in the lower judiciary and the higher courts. Justice Ramana pointed out that women currently account for around forty percent of judicial officers across the country which indicates significant participation at the entry and mid levels of the judicial system. However the number of women judges in higher courts remains comparatively low.
According to available data there are only 116 women judges serving in various High Courts across India. The total sanctioned strength of High Court judges is 1122 which shows that women make up a relatively small proportion of the total number of judges at that level.
The situation in the Supreme Court is even more limited in terms of gender representation. Out of a sanctioned strength of 34 judges there is currently only one woman judge serving on the bench. Legal experts and judicial observers have often highlighted the need to improve diversity in the higher judiciary including representation based on gender region and professional background.
Justice Ramana noted that improving gender representation in the judiciary is important for strengthening the justice delivery system. A diverse judiciary is often considered beneficial because it brings different perspectives and experiences to the interpretation and application of the law. Many experts believe that increased representation of women judges can help ensure broader understanding of issues that affect different sections of society.
Over the years there have been several discussions within the legal community about the importance of encouraging more women to pursue careers in the legal profession and ensuring that qualified women are considered for higher judicial positions. Bar associations legal scholars and policy experts have repeatedly emphasized the need for institutional commitment to achieve better gender balance in courts.
The process of appointing judges to the High Courts and the Supreme Court in India involves recommendations by the collegium system which includes senior judges of the judiciary. These recommendations are then processed by the government before appointments are finalized. Discussions on improving diversity often focus on how both the judiciary and the government can work together to ensure more inclusive representation.
Justice Ramana’s remarks have once again drawn attention to the broader debate about diversity and representation within India’s judicial system. Observers say that increasing the participation of women in higher courts could help strengthen public confidence in the judiciary and promote a more inclusive legal framework.
As conversations continue on judicial reforms and appointments the issue of gender parity is expected to remain an important topic within the legal and policy community.
