Lok Sabha Question No. 3095 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-14
Subject: Representation of Women in Judiciary
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3095

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 14 TH  MARCH, 2018.

Representation of Women in Judiciary

## 3095. SHRI J. C. DIVAKAR REDDY

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  representation  of  women  in  the  judiciary  is  very  low  in  the  country, particularly in Andhra Pradesh in lower / High courts also and if so, the details
- thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  any  details  on  representation  of  women  in judiciary, if so, State / court-wise details thereof; and
- (c)  the  steps  being  taken  to  improve  the  representation  of  women  in  judiciary  in
- future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P. P. CHAUDHARY)

(a)&(b) : As  per  the  available  information,  as  on  01.03.2018,  there  is  one  woman Judge in the Supreme Court and 73 women Judges in all the High Courts. The working strength of permanent and additional Judges in all the High Courts is 673. Thus, women constitute about 10.85% of the working strength of Judges in the High Courts.  As against a working strength of 30 Judges in the Telangana & Andhra Pradesh High Court, there are 3  women  Judges  which  constitutes  10%  of  the  working  strength.  The  High  Court-wise details  of  women  Judges in  High  Court  are  given  in  a  Statement  at Annexure - I .  The Union  Government  does  not  maintain  details  regarding  representation  of  women  in  the subordinate  courts  including  district  courts  in  the  states,  including  in  the  States  of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

- (c): Appointment  of  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  High  Court  is  made  under Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution of India respectively. These Articles do not provide for  reservation  for  any  caste  or  class  of  persons.    However,  the  Government  has requested  the  Chief  Justices  of  the  High  Courts  that  while  sending  proposals  for appointment of Judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates, inter-alia , from amongst women.

Further,  the  selection  and  appointment  of  judges  in  subordinate  courts  is  the responsibility of the High Courts and the State Governments concerned. The recruitment of  judicial  officers  in  some  States  is  done  by  respective  High  Courts,  whereas  in  other States the High Courts do it in consultation with the State Public Service Commissions.  As per the available information, some States have provided reservation quota for appointment of women in the subordinate judiciary. The State-wise status of reservation for women in the subordinate judiciary is given  at Annexure - II .

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## Annexure-I

## Statement referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3095 for reply on 14.03.2018

(Status of Women Judges Supreme Court and High Courts as on 01.03.2018)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Court      |   No. of women Judges |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------------|
| A         | Supreme Court of India |                    01 |

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Court          | No. of women Judges   |
|-----------|----------------------------|-----------------------|
| B         | High Court                 |                       |
| 1         | Allahabad                  | 06                    |
| 2         | Telangana & Andhra Pradesh | 03                    |
| 3         | Bombay                     | 11                    |
| 4         | Calcutta                   | 04                    |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh               | --                    |
| 6         | Delhi                      | 10                    |
| 7         | Gauhati                    | 01                    |
| 8         | Gujarat                    | 03                    |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh           | --                    |
| 10        | Jammu & Kashmir            | --                    |
| 11        | Jharkhand                  | 01                    |
| 12        | Karnataka                  | 03                    |
| 13        | Kerala                     | 05                    |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh             | 03                    |
| 15        | Madras                     | 11                    |
| 16        | Manipur                    | --                    |
| 17        | Meghalaya                  | --                    |
| 18        | Orissa                     | 01                    |
| 19        | Patna                      | 02                    |
| 20        | Punjab & Haryana           | 06                    |
| 21        | Rajasthan                  | 02                    |
| 22        | Sikkim                     | 01                    |
| 23        | Tripura                    | --                    |
| 24        | Uttarakhand                | --                    |
| Total     | Total                      | 73                    |

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## Annexure-II Statement referred to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.3095 for reply

## on 14.03.2018

## Status of Reservation for Women in the State Judiciary (Higher & State Judicial Services)

| Sl. No.                                           | State Government                                  | Status of Reservation for Women                   |
|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| States where reservation provided in the rules    | States where reservation provided in the rules    | States where reservation provided in the rules    |
| 1                                                 | Andhra Pradesh                                    | 33.3 %of open and reserved categories             |
| 2                                                 | Chhattisgarh                                      | 30% (Horizontal & Compartment-wise)               |
| 3                                                 | Odisha                                            | 33.3 %in State Judicial Services.                 |
| 4                                                 | Rajasthan                                         | 30% (shall be horizontal)                         |
| States where no reservation provided in the rules | States where no reservation provided in the rules | States where no reservation provided in the rules |
| 1                                                 | Arunachal Pradesh                                 | No reservation for women under the rules          |
| 2                                                 | Assam                                             | No reservation provided in the rules              |
| 3                                                 | Bihar                                             | No reservation provided in the rules              |
| 4                                                 | NCT of Delhi                                      | No reservation provided in the rules              |
| 5                                                 | Goa                                               | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 6                                                 | Gujarat                                           | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 7                                                 | Haryana                                           | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 8                                                 | Himachal Pradesh                                  | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 9                                                 | Jammu & Kashmir                                   | Rules unavailable                                 |
| 10                                                | Jharkhand                                         | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 11                                                | Karnataka                                         | Rules unavailable                                 |
| 12                                                | Kerala                                            | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 13                                                | Madhya Pradesh                                    | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 14                                                | Maharashtra                                       | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 15                                                | Manipur                                           | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 16                                                | Meghalaya                                         | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 17                                                | Mizoram                                           | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 18                                                | Nagaland                                          | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 19                                                | Punjab                                            | No reservation for women as per Rules.            |
| 20                                                | Sikkim                                            | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 21                                                | Tamil Nadu                                        | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 22                                                | Telangana                                         | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 23                                                | Tripura                                           | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 24                                                | Uttar Pradesh                                     | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 25                                                | Uttarakhand                                       | No specific provision in the rules.               |
| 26                                                | West Bengal                                       | No specific provision in the rules.               |

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