Madras HC ranks second with 13 women judges; nationwide representation at 14%

CHENNAI: The appointment of three women judges to the Madras High Court has brought its tally to 13, placing it second among High Courts with the highest number of women judges and highlighting the continuing gender gap in the higher judiciary.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court leads the country with 16 women judges, while Chennai now has 13. The Karnataka High Court is third with 11.

The three new appointments came among 30 judges recently appointed across the country's 25 High Courts. Of the 30, four are women, bringing the total number of women judges in High Courts to 120.

However, the overall representation of women judges in the High Courts is a dismal 14% nationwide. The contrast with the lower judiciary is significant. Of the 25,886 sanctioned posts in district and subordinate courts across India, women occupy 7,852, accounting for 38%.

The figures have strengthened calls for High Court collegiums to give greater consideration to women lawyers while making judicial appointments in the coming years.

Meanwhile, the High Courts of Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand currently have no women judges.

Skewed Representation

Total no of women judges in HCs: 120

Women judges' share: 14%

Madras High Court's women judges: 13

Women judges in Punjab and Haryana HC: 16

Women judges in district/subordinate courts across the nation: 7,852

Women's share in district/subordinate courts across the nation: 38%