Women For The Justice, With The Justice, By The Justice

Recently, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud concerningly stated that:
the negligible number of women judges in supreme court is a matter of concern and is very disheartening at the same time.

At present there are only 80 women judges out of 1,113 judges in told. Out of these 80 there were only 2 in SC and now the number has reduced to 1 after the retirement of Justice Indu Malhotra, the rest 78 are spread out to various District Courts across India.

The questions that arise here are:

• Why are there a smaller number of women judges in the higher courts of the country?
• What is the cause of such a low number?
• Does this impact the judgement of a case?

For years, women have been regarded as:
The statute of the kitchen. The societal pressures and stigmas that a woman is entitled to run the household, give birth to kids and make sacrifices for her family has been a rudimentary force for the stagnation of a woman’s growth. Judiciary is a field which requires your soul commitment and dedication. The fact that the number of male judges is more than female judges is a representation of society’s thought process in itself. Men are given the resources, the support, the boost to follow their dreams without any restraints or conditions, whereas even in today’s progressive world women are bound by various chains of promises, commitments and limitations.

If this progressive society becomes solicitous and changes the perception towards orthodox thinking patterns, the chances of women following their dreams and cracking judiciary examination or even opt for the same will automatically increase.

The increased number of female judges will not only inspire other women to achieve what they dream of by breaking all the dishonouring barriers but also create a safe and more conducive environment for all the females who come in contact with the court. The pressures and discomfort a woman might feel while being questioned by a male judge can hamper the judgment of the case leading to injustice.

Having a greater number of women judges and having them to handle major cases, especially the ones including sexual abuse can help the passing of a just judgement to a very large extent. Women bring a different perspective which can ultimately bring a broader sense and clarity while passing a judgement. This will not only sensitise gender equality but also promote the idea that women are no less than men and can-do wonders if given the right guidance and resources.

To increase the participation of women in judiciary field one needs to be aware and educated enough to not restrict women to the four walls of house, to not tie them with orthodox ideologies and to support their decisions and respect them enough to let them follow their dreams. A better, empathetic way of judicial working can be achieved by more number of women judges.

Written By: Sanika Javdekar, MIT-WPU,Pune, FY BBA.LLB