Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized the importance of greater representation of women in the judiciary, stating that it concerns the confidence of nearly 650 million Indian mothers, sisters, and daughters who must believe that the justice system understands their realities and will respond with fairness.
He highlighted that women often bring distinct insights shaped by how law operates in homes, workplaces, and everyday realities, and their presence deepens the Court's engagement with society.
CJI urged High Court collegiums to widen the ambit of selection to eligible women lawyers from that state practicing in the Supreme Court, and to consider suitable women candidates within a particular age bracket.
He also emphasized that a reform in this direction is not a one-day event but a continuous process, and its success should not be measured by individual tenures of CJIs.
CJI praised the recent appointment of Justice Lisa Gill as chief justice of Andhra Pradesh HC, and highlighted that institutional intent is no longer enough – it must always be accompanied by institutional imagination.
