TIME HAS COME FOR INDIA TO HAVE WOMAN CHIEF JUSTICE: CJI
NEW DELHI: The time has come for the country to have its first woman chief justice, outgoing Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said while hearing a case related to the appointment of judges on Thursday. Heading a bench, the CJI said he was of the view that the time was “now” to move in the direction of having the first woman Chief Justice of India. Justice Bobde retires on April 23.
Other judges on the bench, justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Surya Kant, agreed with the CJI as the top court heard a plea by The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association to consider meritorious women advocates for appointment as judges in the high courts. Advocate Sneha Kalita, appearing for the lawyers’ body, pointed out that among the 661 judges in the high courts, only 73 were women, accounting for just 11.04%. At the same time, justice Bobde said there were many instances when women lawyers turned down proposals to accept judgeship citing domestic responsibilities.
NEW DELHI: Time has come for the country to have its first woman chief justice, outgoing Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde said while hearing a case related to the appointment of judges on Thursday.
Heading a bench, the CJI said he was of the view that the time was “now” to move in the direction of having the first woman Chief Justice of India. Justice Bobde retires on April 23.
Other judges on the bench, justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Surya Kant, agreed with the CJI as the top court heard a plea by The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association to consider meritorious women advocates for appointment as judges in the high courts.
Advocate Sneha Kalita, appearing for the lawyers’ body, pointed out that among the 661 judges in the high courts, only 73 were women, accounting for just 11.04%. As Kalita said women should have due representation in the high courts as judges, CJI Bobde said: “Why only in the high courts? Why not have the first woman Chief Justice of India? Why not now? Collegium always discusses the issue of representation.”
At the same time, justices Bobde and Kaul told Kalita that there were many instances when women lawyers turned down proposals to accept judgeship citing various domestic responsibilities, including the education of their children.
“But that does not mean it is true for everyone. We completely agree with you about having women judges. We have the interest of women in our mind. We are implementing it in the best way possible. No attitudinal change is required. Only that we need capable candidates,” added the bench.
The apex court currently has five vacancies out of the sanctioned strength of 34 judges. Of 29 judges, there is only one woman.
As reported by HT on February 21, timely elevation of justice
BV Nagarathna from the Karnataka high court could give India its first woman CJI in 2027.
Justice Bobde’s stint has witnessed an unparalleled stalemate within the collegium for appointments to the Supreme Court due to a lack of consensus on recommending justice Akil A Kureshi as a judge in the SC.
Even as several recommendations could be made for appointments to the high courts, the collegium has failed to recommend any name for appointment in the Supreme Court during the 14-month tenure of CJI Bobde because the discussion over justice Kureshi could not be resolved, people familiar with the development said.
Justice Nagarathna’s name had come up for discussion in the collegium meetings but no decision could be taken due to the impasse over justice Kureshi, consequently casting a long shadow over the possibility of the country having its first woman CJI, the people cited above said.