Attorney General advocates to increase number of women judges in all courts
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Attorney General KK Venugopal told the Supreme Court that the number of women judges in all courts in the country should be increased, observing it can be helpful in dealing with the non-empathetic approach of judges in cases of sexual violence.
The AG was replying to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by nine women counsels led by Supreme Court lawyer Aparna Bhat on Tuesday, against an order passed by the Madhya Pradesh High court wherein the judge directed the man accused in a molestation case to get a 'Rakhi' tied by the victim as a condition for enlargement on bail.
The PIL also pointed out orders from various High Courts, highlighting the non-empathetic approach of judges while dealing with sexual violence cases.
The AG also suggested that courts should avoid directions of compromise between the attacker and victim, saying such orders will trivialise the violence suffered by the victims and re-traumatise them as they have to face the accused again.
He also referred the fact that there has never been a woman Chief Justice of India even after seven decades of freedom, asserting the Supreme Court has only two female judges, as against a sanctioned strength of 34 judges.
Out of a total 1,113 posts of judges, there are only 80 women judges in the post, which is only 7.2 per cent of the total number of judges, he added.
"Notably, the All India Bar Examination does not contain even a single question or section relating to gender sensitization. The Bar Council may take necessary steps in this regard," the AG said.
