Retired judge D. Hariparanthaman emphasized the need for diversity and social justice in judicial appointments during a campaign, highlighting underrepresentation of minorities in the Madras High Court.
Madurai: Judges play a crucial role in solving the problems of people from diverse backgrounds, and their appointments must reflect social justice and inclusivity, said retired High Court judge D. Hariparanthaman on Saturday.
Speaking at a signature campaign advocating fair representation in judicial appointments, Justice Hariparanthaman highlighted the lack of diversity in the Madras High Court.
“There are 10 vacancies out of the total sanctioned strength of 75 judges in the Madras High Court. These positions will be filled by elevating six advocates from the bar association and four district court judges,”
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he said.
However, he expressed concerns that a dominant community already has significant representation in the judiciary and the new elevations will further increase their presence.
“A major population of the state, such as people from Scheduled Castes, Mukkulathors, and Vanniyars, do not have sufficient representation among judges, while some communities have no representation at all. Around 13 more vacancies are expected this year, and there is a high chance that judges may continue to come from a particular community,”
he added.
Referring to a parliamentary committee’s report, Justice Hariparanthaman noted that the lack of diversity in judicial appointments has been a long-standing issue, irrespective of the ruling government.
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“Since 2014, overrepresentation of a dominant community has increased, while minorities and women have seen fewer elevations. Some advocates from the dominant caste, despite being eligible, are not considered if they do not align with the state machinery. The central government also has significant influence over judicial appointments, just like it does with central agencies,”
he remarked.
His statements have once again sparked discussions on the need for fair and inclusive representation in India’s judiciary.
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