Chief justice of India KG Balakrishnan today spoke in favour of appointing more women judges and said the judiciary should help to bridge socio-economic disparities.
Lamenting the inadequate number of women judges at all levels in the country, the chief justice attributed this to the presence of fewer women lawyers.
In his inaugural address marking 40 years of the Himachal Pradesh high court here, justice Balakrishnan said the judiciary "has a great role in removal of social inequalities and the common man must feel the impact of the judicial delivery system.
"It is not important that judgments should be lengthy, but these should help bridge the socio-economic disparities in society."
Justice Balakrishnan said the judiciary should address problems related to education and health care.
Union minister Virbhadra Singh, chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, chief justice Kurian Joseph of the Himachal Pradesh high court, and former Supreme Court justice VR Krishna Iyer were present on the occasion.
Krishna Iyer said there should be complete transparency in the appointment of judges.
Justice Joseph said the high court had prepared a roadmap for the disposal of about 53,000 pending cases and its impact would be seen by the end of the year.
Chief minister Dhumal expressed his government's commitment to strengthen the judicial system and said more judicial complexes will be built in the state.
Dhumal said the state government was also ready to consider the setting up of gram nayalayas (village courts) in rural areas.
He said three legal aid clinics had already been set up at Mandi, Dharamsala, and Shimla to give assistance to the comman man.
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