Supreme Court Justice PS Narasimha said many legal institutions were historically designed around male career patterns and must now evolve to support women lawyers. He stressed the need for structural reforms, institutional support systems, and better talent discovery to improve women’s representation in the judiciary.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Supreme Court judge Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha highlighted the urgent need to redesign legal institutions in India so that they better support women in the profession.
He pointed out that many institutions in the legal system were originally structured around male career patterns and therefore require structural reforms to ensure equal participation and opportunities for women.
Justice Narasimha made these remarks while speaking at the first National Conference of Indian Women in Law titled “Half the Nation – Half the Bench”, which was organised in the premises of the Supreme Court of India by Senior Advocates Shobha Gupta and Mahalakshmi Pavani.
The conference brought together judges, senior lawyers and members of the legal fraternity to discuss the challenges faced by women in the legal profession and the need for stronger representation of women in the judiciary.
During the discussion, Justice Narasimha stressed that improving women’s representation in courts is not just about increasing numbers but about transforming institutional structures so that women can build sustainable and long-term legal careers.
Speaking about how the legal system evolved historically, he said many institutions were created with the assumption that men would dominate the profession. Questioning how these systems could now be improved, he said,
“All institutions are built for man’s purposes. So how are we upgrading the institutions?”
Justice Narasimha explained that gender imbalance in the legal profession begins much earlier than the stage of judicial appointments. According to him, the gap starts from the moment women consider pursuing a career in law and continues throughout their professional journey.
He pointed out that the path from choosing law as a career to eventually becoming eligible for judicial appointment involves many stages where women may face structural barriers or lack of institutional support.
Highlighting this issue, he said,
“The difference is made right at the inception. Right from when a girl makes a choice to pursue law. Then stage to go for law school and thereafter enrolment and after 20 years of practice you are considered as a judge. This needs support.”
Justice Narasimha also spoke about the need for institutional policies that can help women lawyers sustain long careers in litigation. He suggested practical support measures such as providing creche facilities in court complexes, publishing cause lists earlier in the day, and creating policy frameworks that ensure adequate representation of women as law officers and judges.
Emphasising the importance of such institutional support systems, he said,
“Having a creche, early cause list etc are institutional support. Capabilities are there, but now is the time we need to have policy decisions where a minimum number needs to be set for women law officers and judges.”
The Supreme Court judge further stressed that legal institutions must develop better systems to identify and promote talent, especially among women lawyers. He noted that recognition and opportunities should not depend on lobbying or personal networking but should instead come from transparent and fair institutional mechanisms.
Addressing this concern, he said,
“We need to have talent discovery mechanisms. Women members should not have to lobby. Even men should not have to lobby. That is why upgradation of the institution is needed.”
Justice Narasimha participated in a panel discussion titled “Bridge the Gap – Balance the Bench,” which focused on examining gender disparities in judicial appointments and exploring ways to create a more inclusive legal ecosystem within the judiciary.
The panel featured several distinguished members of the judiciary, including Justice Vijay Bishnoi, Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya, Revati Mohite Dere, and Justice Savitri Ratho.
The session was moderated by Senior Advocates Jayna Kothari and Haripriya Padmanabhan, who guided the discussion on bridging gender gaps in the judiciary and strengthening opportunities for women within the legal profession.
The conference formed part of broader conversations taking place across the legal community on how institutions can evolve to ensure greater gender balance in courts and leadership roles within the judiciary. Justice Narasimha’s remarks highlighted that meaningful change will require not only increasing representation but also redesigning institutional systems so that women lawyers receive the support needed to thrive in the profession.
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