CHENNAI: THE judges of the Supreme Court are appointed under Article 124 of the Constitution, which does not provide any reservation based on caste or class or gender. At present, against the sanctioned strength of 34 judges, there are 30 judges in the apex court, of them two are women, three are from minority communities and one from Scheduled Caste (SC), Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in his reply to a query raised by DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson.
The Law Minister said, “Since the judges in Supreme Court are appointed predominantly from amongst the chief judges or judges of High Courts, the Central government has been requesting that due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to OBC, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities and to women, while making appointments to the High Courts.”
Wilson had raised concern over ensuring social justice and diversity in appointment of judges to the Supreme Court. He said, “Many social groups are poorly represented in the apex court. There is a lack of female judges and judges from historically oppressed and marginalised sections of the society. It is not that they are not qualified enough. It means that their rights are not being properly safeguarded, which may eventually lead to the infringement and violation of those rights.”
30 posts filled against approved strength of 34
At present, against the sanctioned strength of 34 judges, there are 30 judges in the Supreme Court. Of them two are women, three are from minority communities and one from Scheduled Caste (SC), Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told in response to a query raised by DMK Rajya Sabha
MP P Wilson