Important figures have emerged regarding the number of reserved category judges in lower courts across the country, which is almost half of the total number. On Thursday, in the Rajya Sabha, the Central Government presented state-wise details regarding reserved category judges in the lower judiciary.
New Delhi: There has been a discussion about social representation in the judicial system of the country for a long time. Now the latest data presented in the Rajya Sabha by the Central Government has made clear the real situation of judges from OBC, SC and ST categories in the lower courts. According to statistics, about 46 percent of the judges working in district and subordinate courts across the country come from reserved categories.
Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told the Upper House that at present there are a total of 20,833 judicial officers working in lower courts in India, of which almost half of the judges represent socially backward and deprived classes. This situation varies considerably across states.
Highest reserved category judge in Tamil Nadu
According to statistics, Tamil Nadu is leading in this list. A total of 1,234 judges serve in the lower courts of the state, out of which 1,205 judges (97.6%) come from OBC, SC or ST categories. That means almost 98 out of every 100 judges are from the reserved category. This is the highest figure of social representation in the country. The situation is almost similar in Puducherry, the neighboring union territory of Tamil Nadu, where 88.5 percent of judicial officers belong to the reserved category. Apart from this, strong participation of these classes is also seen in states like Meghalaya (95%), Karnataka (88%) and Telangana (69%).
Difference between Hindi speaking states and metros
The picture looks slightly different in many Hindi-speaking and North Indian states.
The share of reserved category judges in Uttar Pradesh is 54%.
- 49% in Madhya Pradesh
- 45% in Rajasthan
- 40% in Punjab
At the same time, this figure is the lowest in Delhi. Only 13 percent of judges in lower courts in the National Capital Region are from OBC, SC or ST categories. The government indicated that like Delhi, this ratio is relatively lower in some other states and union territories.
Why are there no complete figures in the Supreme Court and High Court?
The situation is different regarding the Supreme Court and the High Court. The Law Minister clarified that there is no reservation provision of any kind in the Constitution for appointments to the higher judiciary. For this reason, the Central Government does not have caste or class based official data of the current judges of the Supreme Court and High Court.
However, from 2018, a new process was implemented under which candidates recommended for the post of High Court judge have to provide their social background details in a prescribed format. This system was prepared on the advice of the Supreme Court.
Glimpse of representation in High Court after 2018
Data of 847 judges appointed in the High Court from 2018 till now is available. These:
- 104 judges from OBC category
- 33 judges from Scheduled Caste (SC)
- 17 judges from Scheduled Tribe (ST)
- 46 judges are from minority community
Apart from this, during the same period, 130 women were also appointed as High Court judges, which is considered important in terms of gender representation.
What do these figures indicate?
The increasing participation of reserved classes in lower courts shows that social inclusion in judicial services is gradually strengthening. However, the huge disparity between states also shows that equal representation is still a long way off, especially in metros and some North Indian regions.
- Reserved category judges in lower judiciary in major states (%)
- India (total) – 46%
- Tamil Nadu – 97.6%
- Meghalaya – 95%
- Puducherry – 88.5%
- Karnataka – 88%
- Telangana – 69%
- Andhra Pradesh – 64%
- Chhattisgarh – 63%
- Kerala – 59%
- Uttar Pradesh – 54%
- Madhya Pradesh – 49%
- Rajasthan – 45%
- Punjab – 40%
- Gujarat – 29%
- Himachal Pradesh – 29%
- Delhi – 13%
These figures shared by the government paint a clear picture of social diversity in the lower judiciary. While some states have become examples in terms of inclusivity, there is still scope for improvement in some areas.
