Outgoing CJI B R Gavai expressed regret over not appointing a woman judge to the Supreme Court during his tenure. He highlighted progress in High Courts, where 16 women judges were recommended under his leadership.
New Delhi: Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, on his last working day as the head of the Indian judiciary, spoke openly about his feelings on the issue of women’s representation in the Supreme Court.
He shared that while his tenure achieved progress at the High Court level, he still carries a personal disappointment for not being able to elevate a woman judge to the Supreme Court during his six-month term.
CJI Gavai clearly expressed his emotions and said that he “has a regret” that the collegium led by him could not recommend even one woman judge to the Supreme Court during his time as Chief Justice.
At the same time, he highlighted a positive achievement by stating that he is satisfied that his collegium successfully ensured the appointment of 16 women judges to various High Courts across the country, including senior women advocates practising in the Supreme Court.
CJI Gavai will retire on November 23, marking the end of his tenure which has been widely discussed for its emphasis on constitutional values and inclusive representation.
Speaking at a farewell event organised specially for him by women lawyers of the Supreme Court at the Women’s Bar Room, he once again underlined the gender gap in the higher judiciary and the need for better representation.
Addressing the gathering, he said,
“I have a regret that I could not get a woman member to the Supreme Court …but in so far as High Courts are concerned we had recommended 16 women judges ..among them are women lawyers of Supreme Court.So my collegium always believed in wide representative to women members”.
His statement reflected both honesty and commitment towards encouraging women’s participation in the judiciary.
Currently, Justice B V Nagarathna remains the only woman judge serving in the Supreme Court of India. She is expected to create history by becoming the first woman Chief Justice of India in September 2027.
However, her term as CJI is expected to be very short, lasting only 36 days, which has also raised concerns in legal circles.
The issue of gender imbalance in the Supreme Court has been repeatedly raised by women lawyers and the Supreme Court Bar Association, who have stressed the need for a more inclusive and balanced representation at the highest level of the judiciary.
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The farewell ceremony at the Women’s Bar Room was organised by Senior Advocate Ms. Mahalakshmi Pavani, while Advocate Ms. Prernaa Singh conducted the proceedings as the Master of Ceremonies.
The event witnessed the presence of seventeen Hon’ble Judges of the Supreme Court, including Hon’ble CJI Justice Gavai and other senior judges such as Justice Surya Kant, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, Justice B.V. Nagarathna, Justice M.M. Sundresh, Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, Justice Sanjay Karol, Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Justice Rajesh Bindal, Justice K.V. Viswanathan, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Justice Prasanna Bhalachandra Varale, Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, Justice Nilay Vipinchandra Anjaria, Justice Atul Sharachchandra Chandurkar and Justice Vipul Manubhai Pancholi.
In her address, Advocate Pavani praised the leadership and vision of the outgoing Chief Justice. She spoke about his dedication to upholding constitutional principles and maintaining the dignity of the judiciary.
She also conveyed the deep respect and admiration of the Women’s Bar for his humility, accessibility and balanced approach during his tenure.
She further expressed confidence in the upcoming leadership of Hon’ble Justice Surya Kant, stating that his experience and judicial wisdom will continue to guide the Supreme Court in the right direction.
The farewell event concluded on a warm and respectful note, celebrating the contribution of CJI Gavai while also recognising the ongoing challenges of gender representation in India’s highest court.
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