Aarohi Dhumale
The Chief Justice of India, Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud, talked about the changing dynamics of the judiciary at the National Conference of District Judiciary on 31st August, 2024.He focused on issues like gender equality in the judiciary, technological advancements and their impact in Court proceedings, the importance of district judiciary, etc.
The National Conference of District Judiciary was inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This conference was hosted by the Supreme Court on 31st August and 1st September, 2024, to discuss issues related to the district judiciary.
The Chief Justice said that the increase in the number of women in judiciary promises a bright future. Kerala is the leading state in India with the highest number of women in judiciary, where 72% of judicial officers are women “Women consisted of 58% of the total recruitment for Civil Judges in Rajasthan in 2023. 66 % of the judicial officers appointed in Delhi in 2023 were women. In Uttar Pradesh, 54% of the appointments for Civil Judge (Junior Division) in the batch of 2022 were women. In Kerala, 72% of the total number of judicial officers are women.”
He also expressed concerns about a disrespectful incident involving a young female judge at a rural court. Though some bar members were respectful, a few lawyers addressed her in a disrespectful and condescending manner, “solely due to her age and gender”, he narrated – “Such instances can be disheartening. Your support to your younger colleagues at such times would be invaluable and would strengthen the fabric of the judicial institution.”
The district judiciary, being the first point of the judiciary which a citizen encounters, was referred to by him as “the backbone of the judiciary”.
He also talked about the increasing use of technology in day-to-day functioning on all levels of judiciary- “Each one of us must be alive to the fact that merely purchasing technological devices is insufficient in the mission to ensure that courts are citizen-centric. Rather, we must embrace and implement technological processes by utilizing the technology at our disposal and ensuring their full use in our work.”
The President of India, Draupadi Murmu, unveiled the Supreme Court’s new flag and insignia during the conference. The flag features the Ashoka Chakra, the building of the Supreme Court, and the Constitution of India. The words “Yato Dharmastato Jayah” are inscribed on it, which mean “Where there is Dharma, there is victory.” The National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, conceptualized the new flag and insignia.
Other dignitaries present at the conference included Justice Sanjeev Khanna and Justice B R Gavai, Union MoS (Independent Charge) for Law & Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Attorney General of India, R Venkataramani, Chairman of Bar Council of India, Manan Kumar Mishra, and President of Supreme Court Bar Association, Kapil Sibbal.