Only 15% of judges appointed to High Courts in last 5 years were from SC/STs, OBCs: Law Ministry

In past five years, only 15 percent of the judges appointed to High Courts were from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBC), the Union Law Ministry's Department of Justice (DoJ) recently informed a parliamentary committee..The DoJ also pointed out that even after three decades of the judiciary assuming primacy in judges' appointment, it has not become inclusive and socially diverse, reported PTI.As per PTI, the DoJ said the above while giving a detailed presentation to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice, presided over by senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Modi..Further, noting that the initiation of proposals for the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts is vested with the collegium, the DoJ stated, the primary responsibility to address the issue of social diversity by recommending the names of suitable candidates from SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and women rests with the judges' body.In the present system, the government can only appoint those persons as judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts who are recommended by the collegium, the DoJ underscored.."It is almost 30 years that the judiciary has assumed the primacy role in the appointment of judges to the constitutional courts. However, the aspiration to make the higher judiciary inclusive and representative, addressing the need for social diversity, is not yet achieved," the DoJ stated in presentation.The DoJ further said that the government has been requesting the Chief Justices of the High Courts that while sending proposals for the appointment of judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities and women to ensure social diversity..As per the reports, from 2018 to December 19, 2022, a total of 537 judges were appointed to the High Courts, of whom 1.3 percent were STs, 2.8 percent SCs, 11 percent were from the OBC category and 2.6 percent were from minority communities."No information on the social background was available for 20 appointments during this period," the DoJ added.The DoJ also talked about the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), saying it proposed two eminent persons as its members, including one who shall be nominated from the SC, ST, OBC communities or from the minorities or a woman. However, the Supreme Court's constitution bench declared the NJAC unconstitutional and void.