Lok Sabha Question No. 1581 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Sanctioned Strength of Judges
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Haji Fazlur Rehman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1581

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 28.07.2021

## Sanctioned Strength of Judges

## †1581.  SHRI HAJI FAZLUR REHMAN:

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

- (a) the  sanctioned  strength  of  judges  in  the  Supreme  Court  and  various  High Courts in the country at present, court-wise;
- (b)  the total number of male and female judges in Supreme Court and various High Courts at present and the number  out of them belonging to minority community and Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes; and
- (c) the details of the number of vacancies of judges in the Supreme Court and various High Courts?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) to (c) : A Statement showing sanctioned strength of Judges, number of male & female  Judges  and  vacancies  in  the  Supreme  Court  and  High  Courts  as  on 20.07.2021 is at Annexure.

Appointment  of  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  High  Courts  is  made under Articles 124, 217 and 224 of the Constitution of India, which do not provide for reservation for any caste or class of persons. Hence no class/category wise data is maintained centrally. However, the Governement has been requesting the Chief Justices  of  High  Courts that  while sending proposals for 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.

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## Annexure

Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Unstarred Question No. 1581 to be answered in Lok Sabha on 28.07.2021 regarding 'Sanctioned Strength of Judges' by Shri Haji Fazlur Rehman  (Position as on 20.07.2021)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the Court      | Sanctioned Strength   | Working Strength   | Working Strength   | Working Strength   | Vacancies   |
|-----------|------------------------|-----------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------|
|           |                        |                       | Male Judges        | Female Judges      | Total              |             |
| A.        | Supreme Court of India | 34                    | 25                 | 01                 | 26                 | 08          |
| B.        | High Court             |                       |                    |                    |                    |             |
| 1         | Allahabad              | 160                   | 87                 | 07                 | 94                 | 66          |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh         | 37                    | 16                 | 03                 | 19                 | 18          |
| 3         | Bombay                 | 94                    | 55                 | 08                 | 63                 | 31          |
| 4         | Calcutta               | 72                    | 27                 | 04                 | 31                 | 41          |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh           | 22                    | 12                 | 02                 | 14                 | 08          |
| 6         | Delhi                  | 60                    | 24                 | 06                 | 30                 | 30          |
| 7         | Gauhati                | 24                    | 19                 | 01                 | 20                 | 04          |
| 8         | Gujarat                | 52                    | 23                 | 05                 | 28                 | 24          |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh       | 13                    | 09                 | 01                 | 10                 | 03          |
| 10        | J &Kand Ladakh         | 17                    | 10                 | 01                 | 11                 | 06          |
| 11        | Jharkhand              | 25                    | 14                 | 01                 | 15                 | 10          |
| 12        | Karnataka              | 62                    | 41                 | 06                 | 47                 | 15          |
| 13        | Kerala                 | 47                    | 33                 | 04                 | 37                 | 10          |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh         | 53                    | 26                 | 03                 | 29                 | 24          |
| 15        | Madras                 | 75                    | 45                 | 13                 | 58                 | 17          |
| 16        | Manipur                | 05                    | 05                 | 0                  | 05                 | 0           |
| 17        | Meghalaya              | 04                    | 04                 | 0                  | 04                 | 0           |
| 18        | Orissa                 | 27                    | 12                 | 01                 | 13                 | 14          |
| 19        | Patna                  | 53                    | 19                 | 0                  | 19                 | 34          |
| 20        | Punjab& Haryana        | 85                    | 39                 | 07                 | 46                 | 39          |
| 21        | Rajasthan              | 50                    | 22                 | 01                 | 23                 | 27          |
| 22        | Sikkim                 | 03                    | 02                 | 01                 | 03                 | 0           |
| 23        | Telangana              | 42                    | 12                 | 02                 | 14                 | 28          |
| 24        | Tripura                | 05                    | 04                 | 0                  | 04                 | 01          |
| 25        | Uttarakhand            | 11                    | 07                 | 0                  | 07                 | 04          |
|           | Total                  | 1098                  | 567                | 77                 | 644                | 454         |