Number of Supreme Court and High Court judges उच्चतम न्यायालय और उच्च न्यायालय के न्यायाधीशों की संख्या

Number of Supreme Court and High Court judges उच्चतम न्यायालय और उच्च न्यायालय के न्यायाधीशों की संख्या

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 110
ANSWERED ON 02/02/2023

Number of Supreme Court and High Court judges

110. Shri Sushil Kumar Modi:

Will the Minister of Law and Justice be pleased to state:

a) total number of Supreme Court and High Court (HC) judges appointed during the last five years, year-wise;

b) number and proportion of these appointed judges coming from Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and religious- minorities, year-wise;

c) number and proportion of women in these judicial appointments, year-wise;

d) number and proportion of judges from SCs, STs, OBCs, religious-minorities and women appointed in district/subordinate courts during the last five years, year-wise;

e) whether the Chief Justices of HCs and the Supreme Court have responded to Government’s requests for enhancing social diversity in higher judiciary; and

f) if so, details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (f): Appointment of Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts is made under Articles 124, 217 and 224 of the Constitution of India, which do not provide reservation for any caste or class of persons. A statement showing total number of judges appointed each year in the Supreme Court and High Courts since 2018 may be seen at Annexure-I.

However, the available information regarding the category/caste of High Court Judges, which is indicated by the recommendee at the time of their recommendation for appointment as High Court Judge by the High Court Collegium (HCC), has been compiled and its breakup is produced below:-

The Government remains committed to social diversity in the appointment of Judges in the Higher Judiciary and has been requesting the Chief Justices of High Courts that while sending proposals for appointment of Judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Women to ensure social diversity in appointment of Judges in High Courts.

Under Article 235 of the Constitution of India, the administrative control over the members of district and subordinate judiciary in the States vest with the concerned High Court. Further, in exercise of powers conferred under proviso to Article 309 read with Articles 233 and 234 of the Constitution, the respective State Government, in consultation with the High Court, frames the Rules and Regulations regarding the issues of appointment, promotion, reservations, etc. of Judicial Officers in the State Judicial Service. Hence, in so far as recruitment of judicial officers in the States is concerned, respective High Courts do it in certain States, whereas the High Courts do it in consultation with the State Public Service Commissions in other States. Central Government has no direct role in the matter.

The information related to religious-minorities is not centrally maintained. However, the current position of working strength of SC/ST/OBC and women judges, cadre-wise in District and Subordinate Courts as on 30.01.2023 is at Annexure-II.

***

Annexure-I
(As on 30.01.2023)

Statement referred to in reply to part (a) to (f) of the Unstarred Question No. 110 regarding “Number of Supreme Court and High Court judges”, to be answered on 02.02.2023.

Annexure-II

Working Strength of SC/ST/OBC and women judges in District and Subordinate Courts as on 30.01.2023

भारत सरकार
विधि और न्याय मंत्रालय
न्याय विभाग
राज्य सभा

अतारांकित प्रश्न सं. 110
जिसका उत्तर गुरुवार, 2 फरवरी, 2023 को दिया जाना है

उच्चतम न्यायालय और उच्च न्यायालय के न्यायाधीशों की संख्या

110. श्री सुशील कुमार मोदी :
क्या विधि और न्याय मंत्री यह बताने की कृपा करेंगे कि :

(क) विगत पांच वर्षों के दौरान उच्चतम न्यायालय और उच्च न्यायालय (एचसी) के न्यायाधीशों की वर्ष-वार कुल संख्या कितनी है ;

(ख) अनुसूचित जाति (एससी), अनुसूचित जनजाति (एसटी), अन्य पिछड़ा वर्ग (ओबीसी) और धार्मिक अल्पसंख्यकों से नियुक्त न्यायाधीशों की वर्ष-वार संख्या कितनी है और इनका अनुपात कितना-कितना है ;

(ग) इन न्यायिक नियुक्तियों में महिलाओं की वर्ष-वार संख्या कितनी है और इनका अनुपात कितना है ;

(घ) विगत पांच वर्षों के दौरान जिला/अधीनस्थ न्यायालयों में नियुक्त किए गए अनुसूचित जाति, अनुसूचित जनजाति, अन्य पिछड़ा वर्ग, धार्मिक अल्पसंख्यक और महिला न्यायाधीशों की वर्ष-वार संख्या कितनी है और इनका अनुपात कितना-कितना है ;

(ङ) क्या उच्च न्यायालयों और उच्चतम न्यायालय के मुख्य न्यायाधीशों ने उच्च न्यायपालिका में सामाजिक विविधता को बढ़ाने के लिए सरकार के अनुरोधों पर प्रतिक्रिया दी है; और

(च ) यदि हां, तो तत्संबंधी ब्यौरा क्या है ?