Requests Being Made To Chief Justices To Consider Women, OBC, Minorities, SC/ST Candidates For HC Judgeship: Kiren Rijiju

To ensure social diversity in appointment in the High Courts, the Central Government has been requesting the Chief Justices across all the High Courts to give due consideration to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women while sending their proposal for appointment of judges.

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the same in a reply to the letter written to him by Member of Parliament and Senior Advocate P. Wilson for ensuring more social diversity in the appointment of judges to the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

Hon' @KirenRijiju has replied to my Lr that all HC CJs have been requested to give due consideration toSC/ST/OBC/Women/Minorities while selecting HC Judges.I call upon all the Advocates Associations to insist upon Social Diversity in the appointment of HC Judges in respective HCs pic.twitter.com/iaRP97PsdC

— P. Wilson MP (@PWilsonDMK) November 13, 2021

In his reply, Law Minister Rijiju said that the Constitution of India doesn't provide for reservation for any caste or class of persons with regard to the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts.

However, the letter further adds that the Centre has been requesting the Chief Justices to ensure that while sending proposals for the appointment of judges, due consideration be given to such factors.

"The government has been requesting the Chief Justices of High Courts that while sending proposals for the appointment of judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Women to ensure social diversity in appointment of judges in High Courts," the letter states.

Earlier this year, in response to concerns over inadequate representation of minorities/ vulnerable communities in the judiciary, the Union Law Ministry had assured that it is "committed to social diversity".

Law Minister RS Prasad clarified that the Government has been insisting on increasing diversity at the High Court level, from where Judges at the Top Court are usually appointed.

Incidentally, the Minister was responding to a letter addressed by MP and Advocate, P. Wilson, last year.

Wilson had, in July 2021, introduced a Private Member Bill termed as the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2020 that seeks to establish 4 Permanent Regional Benches of the Supreme Court in a bid to decentralize the Supreme Court.

In 2019, he had moved a private member bill seeking to increase the retirement age of high court judges from 62 to 65.