Chief Justice of India T S Thakur today said till a few years back there were no women judges in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court but now they were stepping out of their homes and were into the subordinate judiciary in the "conservative state".
He said today Delhi High Court has the distinction of having the largest number of women judges in the country but a few years back, when diamond jubilee function was celebrated at the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, there was not even a single lady judge there.
"Women, especially in Kashmir Valley are in 'purdah' and so on but women in that state, a conservative state, are also now stepping out of the homes and going for education and at least 50 per cent of those in the subordinate judiciary are women. 50 per cent or maybe more then 50 per cent," Thakur, himself from J&K, said while addressing a seminar on 'Women of vision to lead change' organised by Citizen's Rights Trust.
The Chief Justice said problem with all of us is that we always speak about our rights but we should also talk about our duties as well.
He also said, "When you talk of change and you expect women of vision to lead that change, the question is what change are you talking about. What is that change that we intend to bring about."
"Problem with all of us is that we always speak only about rights. I think the first change that we must bring in our approach is that we must not only talk about rights, we must also talk about our duties. When you talk about your duties, how many of you are conscious of duty to keep your environment clean. How many of you really contribute towards that. Just introspect," he said.
The CJI said there are problems in life and its compulsions would continue but the question is do we have the capacity to rise above it.
"I think we are poised for a very great future because women in this country are resurgent. They are leading us in almost every walk of life," he said, adding, "I feel in any society where women get their due, where women are respected, where women are educated, that society and that community has a great future. There is nothing which can stop Indian women from touching greater heights."
He said that in Nepal, which has had its Constitution only last year, the next Chief Justice would be a woman.
"For whatever reasons, Nepal has gone ahead of us (in this respect) because it is going to get a woman Chief Justice," he said.
Besides the CJI, Justice Gita Mittal of Delhi High Court and Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand also addressed the gathering.
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Speaking at the workshop, the Chief Minister, in an
apparent reference to Maoists, said, "the destroyers of schools, hospitals and bridges and their supporters can never be the well-wishers of tribal people.
"Bastar is undergoing transformation. I am glad to inform that state government's efforts in the field of education has resulted in children of Bastar making it to institutions of national repute such as IIT, IIM, NIT."
He said Chhattisgarh is the first state to provide Right to Food Security and skill development to its people.
Acknowledging that rules laid by NALSA will play an important role in development of the country, Singh said, "It's a matter of great pride for Chhattisgarh that the CJI is here to deliberate on such an important subject.
"The seven rules of NALSA not only protect the rights of people belonging to weaker and backward sections of society but also ensure implementation of state governments' schemes.
