CHENNAI: DMK Rajya Sabha MP Wilson on Sunday sent a representation to the President appealing for representation of various sections of the society in the Supreme Court. Wilson wrote for the past few years there has been a lack of representation for all sections in the apex court and it is not indicative of the wonderfully diverse and pluralistic society of India. “Judicial diversity is fundamental to the quality of the judging. Many social groups are poorly represented in the Judiciary,” Wilson said in his letter.
He said ‘crisis of a lack of diversity’ in the Union judiciary has caused a lot of fear and agony in the minds of people. “Public faith and confidence are the wells that the legitimacy of the Judiciary draws from. Increasing the diversity of our Union judiciary is also about improving the quality of judgments.
It means that there will be more varied experiences and perspectives from which to draw on in interpreting and applying the law.” “Lack of diversity in SC may also contribute to problems on a social and constitutional level. People who are unable to relate to figureheads in the judicial system are less likely to feel heard and represented.
A limited pool of judges must mean that we aren’t making use of available pool of talent.” He highlighted that diversity in the judiciary can be achieved while still maintaining the requirements of knowledge in law, wisdom, a legally well-trained mind, qualitative personality, impeccable integrity etc., for determining eligibility and suitability in judicial appointments in the Union judiciary.
A truly representative judiciary with diversity can be achieved only when there is an immediate introspection and correctional steps are undertaken in the hallowed Union Judiciary. He further urged the President that as an appointing authority, he should make it mandatory for diversity in the appointments to the Union judiciary while keeping intact the other requirements.
Otherwise, an inclusive judiciary would remain a distant dream and an empty slogan relegated to speeches and textbooks, thereby widening the trust deficit over the last bastion and he further requested him to direct the Union Government to do the needful in this regard.