'After 75 Years Of Independence We Have Now Achieved A Mere 11% Representation With Great Difficulty': CJI NV Ramana

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana was felicitated by the Bar Council of India (BCI) on Saturday at an event held in the presence of Supreme Court judges, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, parliamentarians and other top law officers.

During his address, CJI Ramana flagged various issues of concern plaguing the judiciary and the bar. One of the prominent observations made by the CJI was on the poor representation of women in the judiciary even after 75 years of India's independence.

"After 75 years of independence, one would expect at least 50% representation for women at all levels, but I must admit, with great difficulty we have now achieved a mere 11% representation of women on the bench of the Supreme Court. Some States, because of reservation policy may reveal higher representation, but the reality remains that the legal profession still has to welcome women into its fold", the CJI opined. 

The Supreme Court currently has only 4 women judges out of 33. Three of the four judges- Justices Hima Kohli, BV Nagarathna and Bela Trivedi had been appointed on August 31 pursuant to the recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium on August 17 which was swiftly approved by the Central government. Since its establishment till date, the Supreme Court has had only eleven women judges out of more than 250 judges who have served.

He further lamented about the significant challenges faced by women in the legal profession. 

"Another area which needs to be highlighted is that majority of women advocates struggle within the profession. Very few women find representation at the top. Even when they do, they still continue to face significant challenges", the CJI further stated.