Why in news?
With the retirement of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia in August 2025, India’s Supreme Court once again has only one woman on its 34‑member bench – Justice B.V. Nagarathna. This stark gender imbalance has drawn criticism from legal scholars and women’s groups, who argue that the apex court needs a more diverse bench to reflect the society it serves.
Historical background
Since its establishment in 1950 the Supreme Court has appointed more than 280 judges, but only 11 of them have been women. The first woman justice, Fathima Beevi, joined the court in 1989. Although four women were appointed in a single batch in 2021, no female judges have been elevated since then. Many talented women judges retire from high courts without being considered for the top court due to opaque collegium practices and a lack of institutional focus on gender representation.
Why more women judges matter
- Broadening perspectives: Women judges bring lived experiences that enrich the interpretation of laws relating to family, property, sexual violence and workplace harassment. A diverse bench can produce more inclusive jurisprudence.
- Enhancing legitimacy: When half of the population is not represented on the bench, the public may perceive the court as out of touch. Women judges can boost trust in the judiciary among women litigants and marginalised groups.
- Role‑model effect: Visible female role models inspire young women lawyers to pursue judicial careers, helping to build a pipeline for the future.
Challenges and reforms
- Paucity of women in the pipeline: Senior advocacy and high‑court benches are still male‑dominated. Structural barriers such as gender bias, unequal distribution of cases and lack of networking opportunities impede women’s rise.
- Collegium practices: The collegium, which selects judges, lacks transparency and formal criteria for diversity. Without deliberate efforts, women candidates are overlooked in favour of male peers with similar credentials.
- Work–life balance: Long hours, postings in remote states and late promotions make it hard for women judges to accept elevation, especially those with caregiving responsibilities.
Experts suggest that the collegium should adopt diversity guidelines, encourage early elevation of women from lower courts and integrate mentoring programmes. Structural reforms such as increased judicial vacancies and transparent selection processes would also help to close the gender gap.