This submission responds to the call for inputs by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers on principles governing judicial appointments. Focusing on India’s higher judiciary, it examines the constitutional and institutional framework for judicial appointments, the role of the collegium and executive, and the challenges due to the opacity, lack of objective criteria, and limited accountability in the appointments process.
By analysing patterns of judicial appointments through the lens of gender representation, the submission highlights the persistent underrepresentation of women in the High Courts and the Supreme Court. It also proposes reforms for greater transparency, diversity, and institutional reform, and offers recommendations to strengthen the independence, inclusiveness, and legitimacy of judicial appointments in India.
CLPR’s submission can be accessed here: CLPR Submission to Special Rapporteur on Independence of Lawyers and Judges