New Delhi: 05, February, 2026: Senior BJP leader and MP Rajya Sabha (Nominated)
Er. Gulam Ali Khatana on Tuesday raised concerns in the Rajya Sabha over the absence of Scheduled Caste (SC) judges in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, despite their significant population share in the Union Territory.
Raising a supplementary question during Question Hour, Mr. Khatana said that while the total sanctioned strength of High Court judges in the country has increased from 820 to 1,122 over the past seven decades, representation of marginalised communities continues to remain limited.
He pointed out that although a few judges from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community have reached the High Courts on merit, their numbers are still very small. Drawing attention specifically to Jammu and Kashmir, he noted that Scheduled Castes constitute around 7.5 per cent of the population, yet no scheduled caste judge has so far been appointed to the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir.
Seeking the government’s response, the BJP MP asked the Union Law Minister whether there was any plan or proposal to ensure that members of the Scheduled Caste community are also elevated to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
The issue assumes significance in the context of ongoing discussions on judicial diversity and social representation in constitutional courts.
