New Delhi, March 10 Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana on Thursday said the dream of fair and equitable society will come true when women, from all backgrounds, have a say and he strongly proposes reservation for girls in legal education.
In his address on the occasion of 'International Day of Women Judges', he said there are numerous factors behind the under-representation of women in judiciary and the primary reason is deeply ingrained patriarchy in our society.
"Now we are having 4 women judges in the Supreme Court which is the highest ever in its history. In near future, we shall be witnessing the first ever female Chief Justice of India. But, I think, we are still far away from ensuring at least 50 per cent representation of women in our judiciary," he said.
"The recognition of 10th March as 'International Day of Women Judges' is an important step to create awareness and mobilise political will. I am a strong proponent of affirmative action. To enrich the pool of talent, I strongly propose reservation for girls in legal education. The data proves such a provision has yielded encouraging results in appointing women judicial officers at the district level."
The Chief Justice emphasized that every woman's struggle and experience is unique to herself. "Growth in jurisprudence will occur only when our Bar and Benches have diverse voices. Diversity of experience brings in diversity in opinions," he added.
He added that injustices faced by women are compounded by intersectional issues of socio-economic conditions. "Therefore, we need women from all classes and sections to find a place within the judicial system. The dream of fair and equitable society will come true when women, from all backgrounds have a say," he added.
He emphasised that the legal profession still remains male dominated, with severe under-representation of women. "For the High Courts, we have recommended so far 192 candidates. Out of these, 37, that is 19 per cent were women. This is certainly an improvement over the percentage of incumbent women judges in High Courts which stands at 11.8 per cent," he said.
He pointed out that the issues confronting women are no longer private affairs of women and one of the marks of a progressive nation is the condition of the female population.
He added that the presence of women as judges and lawyers, will substantially improve the justice delivery system. "The presence of women on the Bench and in the Bar has more than a symbolic importance. They bring to the law a different perspective, one that is built upon their experience. They also have a more nuanced understanding of the differing impacts that certain laws may have on men and women," he said.
The Chief Justice said a woman being a natural multi-tasker is bound to succeed in any given profession, but if she is dependent on only a few personal briefs which come her way, her appearance before the courts is minimised. "The bench will also not be in a position to recognise her. Hence, women should be given preference while making appointments as panel advocates which will pave their path to the bench. The need of the hour is sensitisation and emphasis on inclusivity," he added.
"We are definitely in need of more women judges from rural background. The District Judiciary being the first point of contact, needs to be sensitive to the needs of women and children."
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