<p>While women are underrepresented in most areas of national life, an important area where this is more acute and visible than others is the judiciary and related legal fields. This was recently brought to the attention of the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association through a petition which sought the court’s intervention to consider more women for appointment as judges in high courts. The petition noted that there are many qualified and experienced women lawyers who deserve to be appointed to the bench, and sought some provision or a ratio to be considered for their elevation. The court did not pass any order but the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde observed that many women lawyers did not accept invitations to join the bench because of domestic responsibilities. He also said that the judiciary did not need an attitudinal change in the matter, and that more capable candidates were needed. </p>.<p>As the Association pointed out, there are many women lawyers who will do well as judges and it is for the Supreme Court to take the initiative to appoint them as judges. In the last 70 years, only eight women have been appointed to the Supreme Court, out of a total of 247 judges. It has only one woman judge now. Though high courts have a sanctioned strength of 1,080 judges, only 661 were appointed, out of which there are only 73 women judges. There are five high courts with not a single woman judge. Attorney General KK Venugopal had some months ago brought to the attention of the Supreme Court the extremely low representation of women in the judiciary and sought 50% representation for them. </p>.<p>Women are poorly represented in other legal positions also. There are only 17 women designated as senior counsel in the Supreme Court as against 403 men. The exact number of women in tribunals and in lower courts is not known, but it is also likely to be low. Judiciary at all levels needs gender sensitisation in dealing with crimes against women. But it is not only cases that involve gender justice that need to be handled by women judges, though the women’s perspective is vital in such cases. Women interpret the law in any area as well as men and can deliver justice, it is their right to be equally represented on the bench. The traditional symbol of justice as the blindfolded goddess holding the scales is meaningless now seeing that women judges are very rare. The Supreme Court has the responsibility to change the situation, and it can do so through its collegium which selects judges for the higher courts. </p>
<p>While women are underrepresented in most areas of national life, an important area where this is more acute and visible than others is the judiciary and related legal fields. This was recently brought to the attention of the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association through a petition which sought the court’s intervention to consider more women for appointment as judges in high courts. The petition noted that there are many qualified and experienced women lawyers who deserve to be appointed to the bench, and sought some provision or a ratio to be considered for their elevation. The court did not pass any order but the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde observed that many women lawyers did not accept invitations to join the bench because of domestic responsibilities. He also said that the judiciary did not need an attitudinal change in the matter, and that more capable candidates were needed. </p>.<p>As the Association pointed out, there are many women lawyers who will do well as judges and it is for the Supreme Court to take the initiative to appoint them as judges. In the last 70 years, only eight women have been appointed to the Supreme Court, out of a total of 247 judges. It has only one woman judge now. Though high courts have a sanctioned strength of 1,080 judges, only 661 were appointed, out of which there are only 73 women judges. There are five high courts with not a single woman judge. Attorney General KK Venugopal had some months ago brought to the attention of the Supreme Court the extremely low representation of women in the judiciary and sought 50% representation for them. </p>.<p>Women are poorly represented in other legal positions also. There are only 17 women designated as senior counsel in the Supreme Court as against 403 men. The exact number of women in tribunals and in lower courts is not known, but it is also likely to be low. Judiciary at all levels needs gender sensitisation in dealing with crimes against women. But it is not only cases that involve gender justice that need to be handled by women judges, though the women’s perspective is vital in such cases. Women interpret the law in any area as well as men and can deliver justice, it is their right to be equally represented on the bench. The traditional symbol of justice as the blindfolded goddess holding the scales is meaningless now seeing that women judges are very rare. The Supreme Court has the responsibility to change the situation, and it can do so through its collegium which selects judges for the higher courts. </p>
