'It's your right': CJI NV Ramana says India needs 50% women reservation in judiciary
He went on to say that it is a matter of women's rights, and that they have the right to seek reservations in courts and law schools.
FollowChief Justice of India NV Ramana on Sunday pushed for 50 per cent reservation for women in the court. Addressing female Supreme Court lawyers, the Chief Justice stated, "We need 50 per cent reservation for women in the court... It is a problem that has persisted for thousands of years. Less than 30 per cent of judges at lower levels of the court are female. It is 11.5 per cent in High Courts. Only 11 to 12 per cent of the Supreme Court justices are women."
He went on to say that it is a matter of women's rights, and that they have the right to seek reservations in courts and law schools.
Earlier this month, Ramana expressed worry over the low number of women in the judiciary, stating that "with tremendous effort," the Supreme Court had attained a paltry 11% participation of women on its bench. Among the 33 sitting judges on the Supreme Court, four are women.
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The CJI stated that after 75 years of independence, one would anticipate at least 50 per cent representation for women at all levels, highlighting that the majority of women advocates face challenges within the profession. He added that very few women are represented at the highest levels; they are still confronted with considerable obstacles even when they do.
He stated that after 75 years of independence, women should have at least 50% representation at all levels. He said, "With tremendous effort, we have finally attained a meagre 11% representation of women on the Supreme Court bench." He stated that while certain jurisdictions may have better representation due to reservation legislation, the fact is that the legal profession still has to "welcome women into its fold."
Justices Indira Banerjee, Hima Kohli, B V Nagarathna, and Bela M Trivedi now serve on the Supreme Court. On August 31, history was made at the Supreme Court as nine justices, including three women, took the oath of office at the same time for the first time.
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Out of the sanctioned strength of 34, the top court presently has 33 members, including the CJI. In September 2027, Justice Nagarathna will become the first woman Chief Justice of India.
