The representation of women in judiciary has increased in the last 70 years, but much distance needs to be traversed to address the needs of providing diversity in the higher courts, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Saturday. Addressing the valedictory function of Constitution Day celebrations at Supreme Court, he also stressed on the need to make various fast-track special courts sanctioned by the central government to deal with crimes related to women and children. He lamented that some of the states have not moved forward on the issue.
The minister said there was a need to make the lower judiciary the "centre of attention" to ensure not only checking the pendency but reducing it.
He said most of the pendency is in the lower courts as the figure is about to reach five crore. Addressing the gathering in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu and Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, he said inclusiveness and gender equality in the legal ecosystem is a key thrust area.
"Over the past seven decades of India's journey as an independent nation, the representation of women as judges has increased. However, much distance needs to be traversed to address the needs of providing diversity in the higher judiciary and to meet the expectations of the cross-sections of people," he said. In the matters of appointment of judges, the government is committed to social diversity and has been requesting the chief justices of the high courts to provide for the same while sending proposals for the appointment of judges, he said.
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