NOT PINK ENOUGH: Where are women judges

Shortage of judges in courts has been a much debated issue. Former chief justice J S Khehar got emotional once during a programme over this matter. However, everyone seems to be silent over the lack of women judges. Even in the Supreme Court, there is only one woman judge R Bhanumati among 25 judges. In last few years, fewer women judges have been appointed in High Courts and the Supreme Court.

There are only 10% women judges in 24 High Courts. Total sanctioned posts of High Court judges are 1092 against which 692 judges have been working out of which 70 judges are women. Interestingly, judges have different opinion on this matter. Eight High Courts don’t have a single woman judge. Rajasthan High Court has two women judges but in nine High Courts no woman judge has been appointed in the last one decade. Kerala, which is the most educated state in the country, got its first woman judge Anna Chandy in 1959 but here too the process of appointing women judges has slowed down and it has fallen behind Mumbai, Chennai, Punjab & Haryana High Courts. Bombay High Court is number one in the country with 12 women judges.

Majority of …read more