CJI calls on HC collegiums to consider female lawyers of SC for judgeship
New Delhi (PTI): Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Sunday batted for greater institutional reforms in the judiciary to bring more women into the legal field and said that high court collegiums should consider meritorious women members of the Bar for judgeship as a norm and not as an exception.
Addressing an event, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) underlined that members of the Bar must acknowledge and accept a simple reality: women members are not seeking concessions.
"They are seeking fair and appropriate representation, which has long been due. Only when the profession itself internalises this truth, will the pathway to the Bench become clearer," he said to applause from women lawyers and members of the judiciary at the first national conference of Indian Women in Law on the topic "Half the Nation – Half the Bench Bridge the gap – Balance the Bench.
The CJI requested the high court collegiums to widen the zone of their consideration and include women advocates from their states who are practising in the Supreme Court for elevation.
CJI Kant said if progress is to be meaningful, it must be institutionalised. The story should not be that one individual secured greater representation, but it should be that the Supreme Court and the high courts across the country consciously embedded fairness into their processes.
"We must all understand that reform of this nature is not an event; it is a continuous process. The cultivation of institutional fairness requires persistence beyond individual tenures and beyond individual personalities. It may not reach full fruition within my term of office, nor within that of my sister or brother judges. That, however, cannot and should not determine the depth of our commitment," he said.
CJI Kant added that when that happens, representation will no longer depend on personalities or moments of resolve -- it will stand anchored in the structure of the institution itself, and that, ultimately, is how enduring change is made.
He said that an area of reform lies within the high court collegiums and they must recognise that the moment for measured action is not in the future, but it is now.
"Where suitable, meritorious women members of the Bar are available, their consideration should not be an exception; it should be the norm. And where, in certain high courts or districts, suitable candidates within a particular age bracket are not immediately available, that should not become a barrier. I earnestly request the high court collegiums to widen the zone of their consideration and include women advocates practising in the Supreme Court who belong to that state, for elevation," he said.
Senior advocates Shobha Gupta and Mahalakshmi Pavani, who are associated with the organisation, 'Indian Women in Law', welcomed the guests. Among them were former CJI NV Ramana and other serving judges of the apex court, including Justice BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan.
The CJI highlighted that multiple women are currently serving as Chief Justices of different high courts, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court has as many as 18 sitting women judges.
Similarly, the Madras and Bombay High Courts also have about a dozen female judges each, he said.
CJI Kant pointed out that equally significant is the encouraging scenario in the district judiciary which offers perhaps the clearest indication of what lies ahead.
"With women comprising approximately 36.3 per cent of the working strength of judicial officers at the district level, the foundation is steadily strengthening.
"Friends, this is not a simple statistic; I would argue it reflects a generational shift. If we speak of a pipeline, it is here that it is visibly widening. And when the base of the system reflects greater inclusion, it is only a matter of time before that strength finds expression in the higher judiciary," he said.
The CJI said these developments indicate that the momentum has begun and the environment has been created.
"And with steadily increasing numbers of women entering and excelling in the legal profession, it is both natural and necessary that their presence on the Bench grows suitably. Yet we must guard against complacency. While momentum is encouraging, it is not complete," he said.
At the outset, CJI Kant lauded the journey of women in legal fields and said, “It is worth recalling that barely a century ago, under the regressive colonial regime, women in this country were not even permitted to practise law. The distance travelled since then has been substantive, but it has not been accidental."
He said women often bring distinct insights shaped by how law operates in homes, workplaces and everyday realities and consequently, their presence does not merely add diversity to the Bench, it deepens the court’s engagement with the society it serves.
"The legal profession, over time, has unwittingly developed a working climate that imposes invisible costs disproportionately on women. From late-night briefings and inadequate facilities to unreported workplace bias and repeated questioning of authority. These are daily realities that, I am sure, all of you are all too familiar with.
"And yet, despite these burdens, countless brilliant women have excelled in this profession because they believe in its ethos," he said.
CJI Kant said every woman who takes her place on the Bench sends a clear message to those still facing these obstacles that your perseverance is not unseen and it is not in vain.
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India, Vietnam elevate ties to enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership; set USD 25 bn
New Delhi (PTI): India and Vietnam on Wednesday elevated their ties to an enhanced comprehensive strategic partnership and set a USD 25 billion annual trade target by 2030 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vietnamese President To Lam held talks focusing on expanding bilateral ties in areas of trade, defence, and critical minerals in the face of increasing geopolitical upheavals.
Following the Modi-Lam meeting, the two sides signed as many as 13 agreements which will provide for deeper two ways engagements in a range of areas including digital payments, rare earth minerals, pharmaceuticals, education, banking and culture.
Modi and Lam also deliberated on the situation in the Indo-Pacific amid China's increasing assertiveness in the region, and agreed to continue to contribute to the rule-of-law, peace, stability, and prosperity.
It is understood that China's growing military muscle-flexing in the South China Sea also figured in the delegation-level talks between the two sides.
Elected as president earlier this month, Lam began his first state visit to India on Tuesday, leading a high-level delegation for a three-day trip.
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"A decade ago, Vietnam became India's first comprehensive strategic partner in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) . Since then, our relations have made rapid and comprehensive progress," Modi said in his media statement.
"Building on this strong foundation, today we are elevating our relations to the level of Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We will now advance our partnership to even higher goals," he said.
"Our cooperation will reach new levels in every area ' culture, connectivity, and capacity building, as well as security, sustainability, and supply chain resilience," Modi added.
He noted that the bilateral trade between India and Vietnam has doubled in the last decade to reach USD 16 billion and that the target now is to increase it to USD 25 billion by 2030.
Modi also cited a plethora of agreements signed between the two countries to emphasis that the economic engagement is expected to witness a significant upswing going forward.
"The MoU between our drug authorities will now increase access to Indian medicines in Vietnam. Exports of Indian agricultural, fisheries, and animal products to Vietnam are also set to become easier. Very soon, Vietnam will taste India's grapes and pomegranates," he said.
The two sides also agreed to update the India-ASEAN trade agreement by the end of this year.
"This will provide a new impetus to trade and investment between India and all ASEAN countries. New initiatives in critical minerals, rare earths, and energy cooperation will ensure the economic security and supply chain resilience of both countries," Modi said.
"To boost financial connectivity, we have today decided to enhance cooperation between our central banks. India's UPI and Vietnam's fast payment systems will soon be linked. Furthermore, we are strengthening state-to-state and city-to-city cooperation between the two countries," he noted.
Modi said India is grateful to Vietnam for its strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and standing with India in its fight against terrorism.
"In this era of global turmoil and economic challenges, thanks to their talent, good governance, and economic reforms, India and Vietnam are emerging as the world's fastest-growing economies," he said.
"Now, through our enhanced strategic partnership, we will support each other's rapid growth. As the Buddha's teachings say, 'If you light a lamp for someone else, it also illuminates your own path'," Modi said.
He also described Vietnam a a key pillar of India's Act East Policy and Vision Ocean.
"In the Indo-Pacific region as well, we share a common outlook. Through our strengthening defence and security cooperation, we will continue to contribute to the rule-of-law, peace, stability, and prosperity," he said.
The prime minister said India will broaden its relations with ASEAN with Vietnam's cooperation.
In his remarks, Lam said both sides agreed to deepen political trust and elevate security cooperation.
Last year, the two sides inked a pact to set up a framework for submarine search, rescue and support mechanism. They also signed a letter of intent (LoI) to strengthen bilateral defence industry collaboration.
