SCWLA urges CJI SA Bobde to appoint experienced women Supreme Court lawyers as High Court judges

The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA) has written to Chief Justice of India, SA Bobde to urgently consider elevating experienced women lawyers from Supreme Court to the High Courts as judges, as a measure to increase the number of women judges..The letter comes close on the heels of a suggestion made by Attorney General for India, KK Venugopal to increase the number of women judges in judiciary, which he opined could help in correcting the non-empathetic approach of judges in cases of sexual violence. .Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, who is the President of the SCWLA, has pointed out in her letter that three judges have retired from the Supreme Court since March 2020. However, no new names have been suggested to address the vacancies arising out of these retirements.."Experienced, integrity driven and tenacious women practicing in the Supreme Court of India should be considered for appointment to all High Courts," the letter states..The SCWLA has also called for overlooking the objections, if any, which could be raised by the Bar of the concerned High Court if and when such recommendations for the elevation of Supreme Court lawyers to High Court are made. .Such consideration for sending reputed advocates as judges should be "irrespective of any objection made by the different High Court Bar Associations once Supreme Court Collegium is satisfied about their merit and integrity," the letter says..Pavani has further suggested that it should be mandatory for every law college having over 200 students per batch to provide coaching and guidance for taking judicial exams in the 4th and 5th year to women law students, preferably free of cost or with a minimum fee-cap.."Judges who are from old school and patriarchal need to be sensitised," Attorney General KK Venugopal tells Supreme Court.Next, it has been suggested that District Courts need to have a reasonably equipped infirmary, a creche, digitalization of records, new computers, desktops and software equipment conversant with the latest quandary of the post-Covid-19 world..The letter, which has also been addressed to AG KK Venugopal. further bats for the introduction of a mandatory new course in all law schools called “Judicial Assistance”. The course would make it necessary for each law student of the 4th /5th year to assist a Judge of the lower court for a total of 50 credit hours per year.."Such a subject would be graded like any other credit subject and the grade can be partly predicated on the kind of assistance that was provided to the Judge," reads the letter..Taking a cue from a case filed by the nine women lawyers seeking to sensitize judges against passing bail orders objectifying women, the letter requests that there is a need for externally and internally sensitize presiding Judges of High Courts and District Courts to "use temperate & neutral language."."Judges should avoid histrionics and to eschew making personal comments on the bodily characteristic or personal character (not professional integrity) about parties appearing before them," the letter urges..Read the letter: