All-Women Bench To Hear Matters Today In The Supreme Court

For the third time in history, India witnesses an all-women bench today as Justices Hima Kohli and Bela M Trivedi sit together to hear distinctive matters at the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud constituted the bench. The Supreme Court currently only has three female judges: Justices Kohli, Trivedi and B V Nagarathna.

In 2013, India's Apex court formed an all-women bench bringing Justices Ranjana Prakash Desai and Gyan Sudha Misra together for hearings in several matters. It was history in the making because it was the first time the Supreme court had an all-women bench of judges. In 2018, history was made again when for the second time Justices Indira Banerjee and R Banumathi shared a bench.

On December 1, for the third time in the Supreme Court’s history, an all-women bench of judges will be coming together to hear matters on several cases.

Suggested reading: Hima Kohli to Bela M Trivedi, Meet the Four Sitting Women Judges in Supreme Court

Supreme Court All-Women Bench

On November 30, the Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud set up the all-women bench that would take matters in hand the following day. The bench comprising  Justices Hima Kohli and Bela M Trivedi has thirty-two matters listed for the hearings.

The matters include transfer petitions, bail petitions and matrimonial disputes.

While the number of female judges in the Supreme Court is fairly low, the progress with which the female justices are holding the fort and staying at the forefront of significant matters in the country is bringing about a positive wave of change.

The three Apex Court female judges include Justices Hima Kohli, Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice B V Nagarathna.

While Justice Kohli holds office until September 2024 while Justice Trivedi's tenure lasts till June 2025. In another history in making, five years from now, Justice Nagarathna is all set in line to become the country’s first woman Chief Justice in 2027.

Justice Kohli served as the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court prior to her appointment to the Supreme Court while Justice Trivedi served as judge of the Gujarat High Court before being elected to the Supreme Court. Interestingly, Justices Kohli, Trivedi and Nagarathna were all sworn in on the same day, on September 2, 2021.

The Supreme Court presently has a strength of 27 working judges. However, the sanctioned number is 34. The vacancy of seven will rise to eight next month as Justice S Abdul Nazeer is all set to retire in 2023. The first judge Justice appointed to the Supreme Court was Justice M Fatima Beevi in 1989 after she retired from service as a judge of Kerala High Court.