**Executive Summary**
This document pertains to Unstarred Question No. 1276 in Lok Sabha, regarding the number of women judges in the judiciary. It addresses concerns about the gender gap and seeks information on governmental efforts to promote gender parity, with a response provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice. The annexure provides data on the number of women judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts as of February 6th, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Appointment of Judges:**
* Appointments to the Supreme Court and High Courts are governed by Articles 124, 217, and 224 of the Constitution of India, without reservation for any caste or class.
* Initiation of appointment proposals rests with the Chief Justice of India for the Supreme Court and with the Chief Justices of the respective High Courts.
* Only individuals recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium are appointed as judges.
* **Government's Commitment to Social Diversity:**
* The government aims to enhance social diversity in the judiciary.
* High Court Chief Justices are requested to consider suitable candidates from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities, and Women.
* **Statistics on Women Judges (Since 2014):**
* 170 women judges have been appointed to the High Courts.
* 96 of these appointments occurred in the last five years.
* 6 women judges have been appointed to the Supreme Court.
* **Data on Women Judges (as of February 2, 2026):**
* **Supreme Court:** 1 woman judge out of a working strength of 33 (sanctioned strength of 34).
* **High Courts:** 115 women judges out of a working strength of 814 (sanctioned strength of 1122).
* Detailed breakdown by High Court including Allahabad, Andhra Pradesh, Bombay, Calcutta, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gauhati, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, J & K and Ladakh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, Manipur, Meghalaya, Orissa, Patna, Punjab & Haryana, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttarakhand is provided in the annexure.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Government of India (Ministry of Law and Justice)**
* **Impact**: Required to provide information and actions taken to address gender disparity in the judiciary.
* **Action Required**: Continue to request High Court Chief Justices to consider diverse candidates, including women, for judicial appointments.
**Stakeholder: Chief Justices of High Courts**
* **Impact**: Expected to consider women and other underrepresented groups when proposing judges for appointment to enhance social diversity in the judiciary.
* **Action Required**: Give due consideration to suitable women candidates from different backgrounds when sending proposals for appointment of Judges to High Courts.
**Stakeholder: Supreme Court Collegium**
* **Impact**: Decisions regarding appointments have a direct impact on diversity within the Supreme Court and High Courts.
* **Action Required**: Consider diversity factors when recommending candidates for judicial appointment.
**Stakeholder: Women Lawyers**
* **Impact**: Their representation in the higher judiciary is being considered and potentially increased.
* **Action Required**: Continue to qualify and apply for judicial positions.
Key Entities Referenced
Supreme Court: The apex court in India, where data on women judges is being requested.
High Courts: Referenced as key part of the judiciary, and the main subject of the data presented.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The primary ministry responsible for answering the question about women judges in the judiciary.
Constitution of India: Referenced articles 124, 217 and 224, pertaining to the appointment of Judges.
Memorandum of Procedure (MoP): Describes the process for initiating proposals for appointment of Judges.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1276
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 06th FEBRUARY, 2026
WOMEN JUDGES IN JUDICIARY
1276. Km. Sudha R:
Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:
(a) the data on the number of women judges in High Courts and the Supreme
Court;
(b) whether the Government is aware of the persistent gender gap in
country's higher judiciary, where women judges constitute very minimal;
(c) the reasons for this disparity, including systemic issues, if any;
(d) the details of variations across States and whether this reflects inadequate
pools of qualified women candidates or structural barriers, particularly that
could benefit from diverse judicial perspectives in cases involving women's
rights and social justice; and
(e) the steps being taken to accelerate gender parity, including timelines for
increasing women's representation in the higher judiciary, support for women
lawyers?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY
OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) to (e): The information is at Annexure.: 2 :
Appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts is made
under Articles 124, 217 and 224 of the Constitution of India, which do not
provide for reservation for any caste or class of persons.
As per the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), the responsibility for
initiation of proposals for appointment of Judges in the Supreme Court vests
with the Chief Justice of India, while the responsibility for initiation of
proposals for appointment of Judges in the High Courts vests with the Chief
Justice of the concerned High Court. However, the Government is committed to
enhancing social diversity in judiciary and has been requesting the Chief
Justices of High Courts that while sending proposals for appointment of Judges,
due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled
Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Women to
ensure social diversity in the appointment of Judges in High Courts. Since 2014,
170 Women Judges have been appointed in the High Courts, including 96 in the
last five years and 06 in the Supreme Court. Only those persons who are
recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium, are appointed as Judges of the
Supreme Court and High Courts.
***ANNEXURE
Details of Women Judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts
(As on 02.02.2026)
Court(s) Sanctioned Working No. of Women
Sl. No. Strength Strength Judges
A. Supreme Court 34 33 1
B. High Court
1 Allahabad 160 110 7
2 Andhra Pradesh 37 32 5
3 Bombay 94 80 12
4 Calcutta 72 43 8
5 Chhattisgarh 22 15 1
6 Delhi 60 44 10
7 Gauhati 30 25 5
8 Gujarat 52 35 7
Himachal 17 12
1
9 Pradesh
10 J & K and 25 14
2
Ladakh
11 Jharkhand 25 14 1
12 Karnataka 62 46 9
13 Kerala 47 40 3
14 Madhya Pradesh 53 42 1
15 Madras 75 53 10
16 Manipur 5 3 0
17 Meghalaya 4 4 1
18 Orissa 33 19 1
19 Patna 53 38 2
Punjab & 85 61
18
20 Haryana
21 Rajasthan 50 39 4
22 Sikkim 3 3 1
23 Telangana 42 28 7
24 Tripura 5 4 0
25 Uttarakhand 11 10 0
Total 1122 814 116