80% Judges Appointed To High Courts In 2018-22 From Upper Castes: Government

One in 20 judges appointed to totally different excessive courts between 2018 and 2022 have been from the minority class. Of the 540 judges, 4 per cent belong to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) and round 11 per cent have been from Different Backward Lessons (OBC), the legislation ministry knowledgeable the Parliament final week. The legislation ministry was responding to a query on the illustration of judges from weaker communities in courts.

Whereas 69 judges have been appointed within the Supreme Courtroom, 1,173 have been appointed within the High Courts throughout the nation since 2014, the ministry mentioned. Nonetheless, category-wise knowledge on illustration of any caste or class of individuals among the many judges of the Supreme Courtroom and the High Courts is “not centrally out there”.

The ministry famous that the “appointment of judges to the Supreme Courtroom and High Courts is made underneath Articles 124, 217 and 224 of the Structure of India, which don’t present for reservation for any caste or class of individuals.”

Nonetheless, since 2018, these making suggestions for the publish of High Courtroom judges are required to supply particulars on the nominee’s social background. Sharing that knowledge, the legislation ministry famous that 540 judges have been appointed from 2018 to 2022. Of those, 15 belong to the SC class, 7 to ST, 57 to OBC and 27 to the minority class. This implies a whopping 80 per cent of the judges appointed are from the higher caste.

The written response within the Lok Sabha states that the “accountability for initiation of proposals for appointment of Judges within the Supreme Courtroom vests with the Chief Justice of India” and Chief Justices for involved excessive courts.

“Nonetheless, the federal government is dedicated to enhancing social variety in judiciary and has been requesting the Chief Justices of High Courts that whereas sending proposals for appointment of Judges, due consideration be given to appropriate candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Different Backward Lessons, Minorities and Ladies to make sure social variety within the appointment of Judges in High Courts. Solely these individuals who’re advisable by the Supreme Courtroom Collegium, are appointed as Judges of the Supreme Courtroom and High Courts,” it mentioned.