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NOT PINK ENOUGH: Where are women judges

Total sanctioned posts of High Court judges are 1092 against which 692 judges have been working out of which 70 judges are women.

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Kerala got its first woman judge Anna Chandy in 1959.
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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 women judges have come through judicial quota. In last three decades, Bombay, Delhi and Punjab and  Haryana High Courts have been liberal in appointing women judges from the lawyers' quota but Rajasthan is still waiting. In 70 years, only 4 women judges that too from judicial quota have been appointed judges in the high court. The first judge was Kanta Bhatnagar who was appointed in 1978. Jaipur and Jodhpur high court bar association have been demanding appointment of women judges from the lawyers’ quota.

HC name judge's posts working judges no of female judges

Full Bench Meet

After a long time, Rajasthan high court’s full bench would sit in Jaipur on Saturday morning. The meeting would be presided over by chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog in which all judges from Jaipur and Jodhpur bench would be present. Judicial officers have been eagerly waiting for this meeting whose most important agenda is decision on promotion of CJM and ADJ cadre. In addition, transfer of judicial officers posted at one place for a long time, appointment of DJ and senior lawyers and reconstitution of committees would be decided. The full bench would also discuss reducing pendency of cases and fixing responsibility of judicial officers. In past, full bench meeting was fixed twice but cancelled at the last moment.

 

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