Indian Judiciary Dominated By Elite, Hindu, Male? Ex Chief Justice Replies

New Delhi:

Higher courts in India, especially the Supreme Court, has sent a clear message that we are here to safeguard personal liberties and that’s why the judiciary has the faith of the people, former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has said.

The former Chief Justice faced tough questions from veteran journalist Stephen Sackur on BBC’s HARDtalk. The questions ranged from the gender ratio in the judiciary to key judgments such as the Ram Janmabhoomi case and the Article 370 case.

To a question on whether there is a dynasty problem in Indian judiciary and whether it is dominated by elite, male, Hindu upper caste men like him, Justice (retd) Chandrachud disagreed. “If you look at the lowest levels of recruitment to the Indian judiciary, the district judiciary, which is the base of the pyramid, over 50 per cent of the new recruits coming into our states are women. There are states where the recruitment of women goes up to 60 or 70 per cent.”

He said the higher judiciary now reflects the status of the legal profession 10 years ago. “What’s happening now, as the reach of education, particularly legal education, has reached women, that gender balance you find in law schools is now reflected in the lowest levels of indian judiciary. In so far as gender balance in concerned, you find an increasing number of women coming into district judiciary and these women will be climbing up,” he said.