Legal Profession Still Male-Dominated: CJI Ramana On International Day of Women Judges

Marking the International Day of Women Judges on March 10, the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana took cognisance of the gender imbalance in the legal field. "I am wholly conscious of the systemic prejudices women have been facing particularly in Indian society," the CJI said, as the day was commemorated by the Supreme Court. In further statements, he shed light on the steps being taken to rectify the inequality.

The event was joined prominently by Justices Indira Banerjee, Hima Kohli, BV Nagarathna, Bela M Trivedi - the apex court's four history-making women, whose appointments mark the highest number of female judges the SC has ever seen at one time - all of whom made powerful statements on the occasion dedicated to them.

As per Bar & Bench, Justice Banerjee delivered the welcome address. Citing the trailblazing Justice Leila Seth who was the first woman judge at Delhi High Court in the 1970s, Justice Banerjee said, "Women are half the sky but in reality where are they? Women have to be part of the substantive equality and not just for formality."

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She went on to mention that one of the four present SC women judges would go on to become India's first female CJI in the future. The decision announced last year by CJI Ramana was welcomed nationally as a groundbreaking step in the right direction for women's equality. Some reports suggested that Justice Nagarathna was poised to assume the role in 2027.

Justice Banerjee went on to note the "abysmal" record of only 11 women judges in the SC and that the "presence of women judges would usher in a change in mindset of people."

Judges also spoke on the significance of greater gender representation, with Justice Nagarathna weighing in on how women judges will bring sensitisation to judicial processes. "When a woman judge decides a case she brings her myriad life experiences to the ambit of judicial decision making which are pertinently different from men," she said.

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Even though Justice Fathima Beevi became the first woman judge in SC decades ago in 1989, legal doors have still not opened fully for women, thanks to the patriarchal makeup of our society. According to data presented by CJI Ramana last year, India's lower courts had only 30 percent women judges while higher courts had female representation at only 11.5 percent.

While CJI Ramana has previously voiced support for 50 percent reservation for women in the judiciary, speaking today on the occasion of IDWJ, he highlighted the shortcomings that still prevented women from playing on an equal footing in the legal field.

He acknowledged that 37 out of 192 candidate recommendations for India's high courts were female - standing at an improved 19 percent. "Unfortunately, so far only 17 of the 37 women recommended to High Courts were appointed. Others are still pending with the Government... The primary reason is deeply ingrained patriarchy in our society," he said, adding that issues plaguing women lawyers ranged from harassment to hostility in courtrooms.

As per reports, Justice Kohli closed the event with an impactful address, talking about the challenges the SC's four women judges faced while getting to the top. "...we have struggled at home... Of that guilt of not being available to family in times of need... of facing those who have doubted our merits... We carry those scars with pride and that's what makes women judges special."