New Delhi : 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 in Rajaya Sabha MP Khatana highlighted the disparity in representation of marginalized communities within the judiciary, despite an increase in the total sanctioned strength of High Court judges from 820 to 1,122 over the last seventy years. He noted that while a few judges from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community have been appointed based on merit, their overall numbers remain minimal. Focusing on Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Khatana pointed out that Scheduled Castes make up approximately 7.5 percent of the region’s population, yet there has not been a single appointment of a Scheduled Caste judge to the High Court. He urged the Union Law Minister to clarify whether there are any plans to promote members of the Scheduled Caste community to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. This inquiry is particularly relevant amid ongoing discussions regarding judicial diversity and the need for social representation in constitutional courts.
