Women are increasingly playing important roles in all areas of life but their presence in the Gujarat high court is still miniscule. A high court was created in Gujarat after it was carved out as a separate state from erstwhile Mumbai state.
However, in its 50-year history, the high court has had only six women judges.
Former judges and lawyers attribute this to the small number of women becoming lawyers earlier. Of late, however, former judges and prominent lawyers have been advocating the elevation of more women as judges to the high court.
It is difficult to believe that, prior to the year 2000, only two women had served as judges at the high court. In 1994, Justice Sugnya Bhatt was the first woman to be made judge of the Gujarat high court while justice RM Doshit was elevated to the court as judge in 1995.
After 2000, however, four women were elevated as justices of the high court. Justice Bela Trivedi was made high court judge in February last year and then, in June 2011, was transferred to Rajasthan high court.
At present, the state’s high court has three women judges - Justice HN Devani, Justice Abhilasha Kumari and Justice Sonia Gokani.
However, the number of women who have served as judges of the Gujarat high court is negligible compared to more than 150 men who were elevated to the high court from the bar, judicial service or by transfer from high courts of other states.
“It would be good if the Gujarat high court has more women judges. Women are now present in all professions and they are doing well. There is no reason why the higher judiciary should not have more women judges,” said Justice CK Thakkar, former judge of the Supreme Court.
