New Delhi, March 8 Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized the need for greater institutional reforms in the judiciary to promote greater female representation in the legal field, stating that high court collegiums should consider meritorious female lawyers for judicial appointments as a standard practice, not an exception.
Addressing the event, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) highlighted that lawyers must acknowledge and accept the reality that women are not seeking special concessions.
"They are seeking fair and appropriate representation, which has long been due," he said, to applause from female lawyers and members of the judiciary at the first national conference of Indian Women in Law on the topic "Half the Nation – Half the Bench: Bridge the gap – Balance the Bench."
The CJI urged the high court collegiums to broaden their consideration and include women advocates from their respective states who are practicing in the Supreme Court for elevation.
CJI Kant stated that meaningful progress requires institutionalization. The focus should be on the Supreme Court and high courts across the country consciously embedding fairness into their processes.
"We must all understand that reform of this nature is not a one-time event; it is a continuous process. Cultivating institutional fairness requires persistence beyond individual tenures and beyond individual personalities. This may not reach its full fruition within my term or that of my sister or brother judges. However, that cannot and should not determine the depth of our commitment," he said.
CJI Kant added that when this happens, representation will no longer depend on personalities or specific moments; it will be anchored in the structure of the institution itself, and that is ultimately how lasting change is achieved.
He stated that a key area for reform lies within the high court collegiums, and they must recognize that the time for measured action is now, not in the future.
"Where suitable, meritorious women are available, their consideration should not be an exception; it should be the norm. And where, in certain high courts or districts, suitable candidates within a particular age group are not immediately available, that should not become a barrier. I earnestly request the high court collegiums to broaden their consideration and include women advocates practicing in the Supreme Court who belong to that state, for elevation," he said.
Senior advocates Shobha Gupta and Mahalakshmi Pavani, associated with the organization 'Indian Women in Law', welcomed the guests, including former CJI NV Ramana and other judges of the Supreme Court, such as Justice BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan.
The CJI highlighted that several women are currently serving as Chief Justices of different high courts, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court has 18 sitting female judges.
Similarly, the Madras and Bombay High Courts also have about a dozen female judges each, he said.
CJI Kant pointed out that a significant development is the encouraging scenario in the district judiciary, which offers the clearest indication of what lies ahead.
"With women comprising approximately 36.3 per cent of the working strength of judicial officers at the district level, the foundation is steadily strengthening," he said.
"Friends, this is not just a statistic; I would argue that it reflects a generational shift. If we speak of a pipeline, it is here that it is visibly widening. And when the base of the system reflects greater inclusion, it is only a matter of time before that strength finds expression in the higher judiciary," he said.
The CJI said that these developments indicate that the momentum has begun and the environment has been created.
"And with steadily increasing numbers of women entering and excelling in the legal profession, it is both natural and necessary that their presence on the Bench grows suitably. Yet, we must guard against complacency. While momentum is encouraging, it is not complete," he said.
At the outset, CJI Kant lauded the journey of women in legal fields and said, "It is worth recalling that barely a century ago, under the regressive colonial regime, women in this country were not even permitted to practice law. The distance travelled since then has been substantive, but it has not been accidental."
He said women often bring distinct insights shaped by how law operates in homes, workplaces, and everyday realities, and consequently, their presence does not merely add diversity to the Bench, it deepens the court’s engagement with the society it serves.
"The legal profession, over time, has inadvertently developed a working climate that imposes invisible costs disproportionately on women. From late-night briefings and inadequate facilities to unreported workplace bias and repeated questioning of authority. These are daily realities that, I am sure, all of you are all too familiar with," he said.
"And yet, despite these burdens, countless brilliant women have excelled in this profession because they believe in its ethos," he said.
CJI Kant concluded by saying that every woman who takes her place on the Bench sends a clear message to those still facing these obstacles that your perseverance is not unseen and it is not in vain.
