34.6% Increase in Women Judges at Indian Courts

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 9 May 2024

The Supreme Court's 'State of the Judiciary' report showed a significant increase of women judges' representation in Indian courts, from 27 per cent in 2018 to 34.6 per cent in 2023. Between 2018 and 2023, the number of women judges in Indian courts experienced a drastic increase. Women's representation on the Supreme Court of India has increased marginally, as of December 2023, only 9.4 per cent of the court's 32 judges were women, up from 4 per cent in 2018.

The high court has witnessed a surge of just 10 per cent of female judges in 2018. However, this percentage increased to 13.4 per cent by 2023. The highest number of female judges present in high courts are states like Delhi, Bombay, and Punjab & Haryana whereas the number of female judges in many High Courts like Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chattisgarh showcases a significant decrease.

The Supreme Court currently has only 9.4 per cent female judges, with only 3 out of 32 judges being women as of December 2023, indicating a need for further progress. In addition to this, Subordinate courts have seen a significant increase in women judges, from 27.6 per cent in 2018 to 36.3 per cent by 2023, emphasizing the importance of ensuring diversity and gender equality in the judiciary.