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Women's Representation in Supreme Court Remains Low Despite Pioneering Appointments

Justice Fathima Beevi's appointment was a milestone, but women still make up just 3.8% of Supreme Court judges. Addressing this imbalance requires concerted efforts.

This picture shows an interview of a room. We see a woman seated on the ground and holding a gun in...
This picture shows an interview of a room. We see a woman seated on the ground and holding a gun in her hand and we see another woman standing and holding a gun in her hand and we see a woman standing on the side. We see a chair and a toilet seat and we see a wooden door both the women wore black color suits.

Women's Representation in Supreme Court Remains Low Despite Pioneering Appointments

Justice Fathima Beevi, appointed in 1989, remains the sole woman judge from a minority faith in the Supreme Court. Despite her pioneering role, women's representation in the highest court remains low, with only 11 women judges appointed since 1950.

Justice Beevi's appointment was a milestone, but progress has been slow. As of now, women make up just 3.8% of all Supreme Court judges. The last appointment of women judges was in 2021, with three women joining the bench. However, the average age at appointment for women is higher, often preventing them from serving in the Collegium or becoming Chief Justice of India, as seen with Justice Nagarathna's brief tenure.

In High Courts, the situation is slightly better, with 14.27% of judges being women. Yet, there's no institutionalised mandate for gender representation in constitutional courts. The Supreme Court has directed Bar associations to have 30% women in elected seats, but this doesn't extend to the judiciary. The Collegium decides appointments, but its selection criteria remain unclear.

The underrepresentation of women in the Supreme Court is a persistent issue. While legislative bodies and judicial councils have expressed the need to prevent gender discrimination, explicit quotas or criteria for supreme court judge appointments are yet to be established. Addressing this imbalance requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

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