Legal profession still has to welcome women into its fold: CJI Ramana

Even after 75 years of Independence, the judiciary in India has achieved a mere 11 per cent representation of women on the bench of the Supreme Court, said Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Saturday.

Speaking during a felicitation ceremony organised by the Bar Council of India (BCI), CJI Ramana admitted that the legal profession is yet to welcome women into its fold as the majority of them struggle within the profession. “After 75 years of Independence, one would expect at least 50 per cent representation for women at all levels, but I must admit, with great difficulty we have now achieved a mere 11 per cent representation of women on the bench of the Supreme Court. Some states, because of reservation policy may reveal higher representation, but the reality remains that the legal profession still has to welcome women into its fold,” said the Chief Justice.

Calling lawyers as the crusaders for rights, CJI Ramana said they are an “important wheel in the chariot of justice.”

Talking about the Bar Council, the CJI noted the statutory body was visualised in the 1960s and ever since then, “it has been functioning for promoting well-being and ethics within the profession. From regulating legal education to the legal profession, from creating awareness about the law to providing legal aid, the Bar Council of India truly is an institution of great social significance.”

He noted that Law still “somehow remains an urban profession” because there are several obstacles that a young advocate must overcome. “The harsh reality is that, without any patronisation, in spite of several years of waiting and struggle, no one can guarantee stability in the profession,” the CJI said. ANI