- The Supreme Court welcomed the growing number of women joining the judiciary
- Almost 60% of newly appointed judicial officers are female
- The Court emphasized the importance of the enhancement of infrastructure and facilities to accommodate women judges and lawyers
The Supreme Court of India has hailed the growing number of women participating in the judiciary, observing that almost 60 percent of the recently appointed judicial officers are women.
The Court noted that the focus of the next step should be towards improving infrastructure and facilities to enable women lawyers and judges to function optimally.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi made the observations while hearing a petition for the introduction of a uniform, gender-sensitive policy to allot professional chambers and cabins to women advocates in courts and bar associations nationwide.
Justice Surya, who will soon be the Chief Justice of India in November, said women in the legal space have moved ahead based on merit without any hesitation, referencing their strong presence in the judiciary.
"In our judicial service, nearly 60 percent of the officers are women. They are not there due to any reservation. It is purely on merit."
That is why I am paradoxical to request any privilege, he added, saying that if preferential allotments would also be considered for women, the same must be granted to lawyers with disabilities.
While recognizing progress, the bench acknowledged that the fight now is to create a supporting working environment via infrastructure improvements to include chambers, work areas, and family-friendly elements.
The judges highlighted that the new Supreme Court building was being designed with changing professional needs in mind, offering suggestions such as shared workspaces, common seating areas, and allocated meeting areas.
Senior advocate Sonia Mathur, appearing for the petitioners, asserted that the issue was not about merit - it was about infrastructure.
She called attention to the overall absence of professional chambers, which is especially detrimental to women advocates, as they are often balancing work and family.
The bench also suggested that the courts consider childcare and other support systems to better retain young women in the law.
They noted that "many have left the law already due to inadequate institutional supports," and these systems will be necessary going forward. "Like women, the reliefs sought may also have to be considered for lawyers with special needs," Justice Surya added.
The Court served notices to the Union government, Secretary General of the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), and Bar Council of India, asking them for their inputs to the petition.
The petition, presented by eight women advocates through advocate-on-record Divyesh Pratap Singh, has demanded priority or reservation for women lawyers in future chamber allotments.
It also seeks allocation of chambers to women advocates with more than 25 years of practice who are still awaiting allocation on the SCBA waiting list.
