Thread by @barandbench

Supreme Court judge, Justice Ravindra Bhat, to shortly speak at a conference on Women in Power & Decision Making by the PHDCCI.

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#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat begins his address: Before I begin, I must confess I'm acutely aware the irony that being a man I'm speaking here. It calls for genuine engagement.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: The proverbial issue of making room for women at the table, is not just a women's issue. It needs to be worked at a systematic level.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: Undoubtedly, women in leadership positions have the key to open doors for more women. But the issue is bring them to these positions.

Career obstacles for women are diverse.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: These issues are institutional. Their manifestations in India are peculiar.

It is true for all spheres of the workforce. Many women stall-out in the middle zone, not because of explicit discrimination but due to daily factors

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: As men we have to walk the right rope.. not taking over the conversation, but listening.

This fine balance is not easy. It demands patient unlearning but is vital to endeavour.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: As a judge, it requires a macro big picture. Need to recognise systemic reform.

To say that gender parity can be fixed by individualistic solutions.. is a bit like thinking we can fix climate change by individuals shifting from plastic to paper straws

Justice Ravindra Bhat: It puts the onus on the women. Organisations should handle this on an institutional level.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: Improving the workplace is another strategy that requires consideration. I can speak to efforts in courts- toilets, creches, safety etc.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: The WFH lifestyle left behind a possible solution. Not just for corporate India but also the legal profession. For many women it's a boon.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: It is critical i highlight two caveats- domestic responsibilities cannot be seen as inevitable for women but need to be divided more equitably, WFH facilities have served as double edged causing greater burnout for women.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: Often representation becomes tokenistic. This does more harm than good.

Representation in a real sense have a cascading effect.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: India in the past legislatively tried to mandate representation.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: We are seeing increasingly more women in litigation. The endeavour for judges and courts will be to make a productive work environment.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: When it comes to the judiciary, gender representation has been a concern.

TN with highest number of female judges, but nowhere close to where it needs to be.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: The class ceiling is very real and palpable for women.

Greater participation of women in the workplace has a positive impact on our economy.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: It begins with basic steps. It requires for leaders and stakeholders to be alive to the unique issues faced by them.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat: Conferences such as today's provide a crucial platform. I hope what we take away will be worked upon to yield concrete results.

#SupremeCourt #WomensRights

Justice Ravindra Bhat concludes his address.

In a session on women and the judiciary that will begin shortly, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva of the Delhi High Court will speak followed by Additional Solicitor General Asihwarya Bhati and Senior Advocates Jaideep Gupta and KV Vishwanathan.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

The session will also see Advocates Armin Wandrewala and Aaliya Waziri as speakers.

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: Today when we see Aishwarya, Aaliya and Soumya sharing the panel.. and other distinguished members of the profession. It's time to step back and think how the situation was 100 years ago. Lest we repeat.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: Hats off to some of the brave men who fought, they were able to get equality in opportunity. They were never clamouring for equality in result themselves.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: the profession is only a facet of society.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: Women were disempowered.

They were kept out of voting rights. If you have to fight for suffrage, you don't count.

They were kept out of colleges. Then they were allowed, but not given degrees.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: The legal profession only reflected this malaise since we're a part of the society.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: In India, it was Regina Guha supported by her family who fought to enrol as a pleader. The court said it was not to deviate from the long standing trend of confining the provision to men.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: Today, several issues arise. We need to examine- why is it that there should be equal opportunity and representation of women in higher judiciary.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: They provide a unique perspective.

It gives a voice to a section of society which has been undermined. Women would feel inspired to seek justice when they see women in positions of power.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: It portrays a sense of fairness, justice and equity. It is an inspiration to young women.

In that sense, designation also is a stepping stone.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: It would have kept at bay the stereotypes which we normally a ascribe and you will have real equality.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan discusses the permanent commission in the armed forces case decided by the Supreme Court.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: The veil of superficial equality was torn. The quest for indirect equality..

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: What is the way forward?

We found that out of 488 seniors only 19 are women. In the SC we have 4/32, 13/74 at Madras, 8/53 at Mumbai.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan: don't sacrifice on competence. If there is a competent woman lawyer, you must repose confidence.

Recognition in the form of empanelment, appointment ought to be given.

#WomenRepresentation #WomenInJudiciary

Senior Advocate KV Vishwanathan ends his address.

ASG Aishwarya Bhati speaks: I think I will share a few observations and experiences. I've been at the bar for 25 years.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: When I took to law, some of my relatives would say, "Isse shaadi kaun karega?" (who will marry her?)

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: My initial clients would tell me to my face, what will a girl do? Your clerks find it difficult, the registry interface is difficult.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: When i gave up my private practice, 80% of my clients asked for women lawyer recommendations. I've seen that journey.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: I come from Rajasthan, gender bias is huge. But there is a bright spark!

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: Patriarchy is not man v woman. It's a battle with the patriarchal mindset.

There are enough women who form a part of it, and men who are not.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: We can't have women paratrooping from the top because there isn't representation.

That would be an injustice.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: We need aspirations, we need champions, role models.

Justice Indu Malhotra is someone who inspires an entire generation.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: Once these glass ceilings.. we just need to keep knocking and they will break.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: Young girls ask me if this profession is difficult for women.

Let me tell you, the profession is tough for men and women. The difficulty is the society.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: Steps like having a creche, having a separate bar room- these are very important.

Maternity relief law doesn't apply here. We are self-employed. Clients don't trust pregnant women.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: Why should we give up motherhood? I am proud of being a mother! And not giving up the profession.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

ASG Aishwarya Bhati: If there are so many women clamouring for justice, we need equal number of women handing out justice.

Address concludes.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta begins address: I believe that apart from the chairperson this panel should have only had women.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: I am sure I don't have the competence to talk about the problems women face in their journey.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: Achievements of the last few months on the issue we are talking about must start with the ultimate breaking of the glass ceiling- we will now have a tribal lady as our President.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta:The Indian Supreme Court finally saw the possibility of the first woman chief justice of this country even though we will have to wait till 2027 for that.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: Right now out of 680 HC judges only 83 are women.

The even more worrying fact is that less than 30% judicial officers in subordinate courts are women.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: There is no justification for this.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: What is to be done about it? The real problem appears to be the source. Where will you get sufficient competent women to put in the judiciary.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: One way of increasing the numbers is that the subordinate judiciary contributes a larger number of women.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta: Prejudices, as you have heard, exist against women practitioners in this and every country.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta concludes.

#WomenInJudiciary #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva speaks: I had come here with a prepared speech.. but after hearing the speakers- I have very little to say. Taking a cue from them. I really agree it's a problem of the mindset.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: I'm going to really cut it short. I must comment- time has changed. The youngsters give us such freshness.

When young lawyers appear, you have a new perspective.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: Please tell me how many of us menfolk- who do we take advice from? Our mothers, our wives.. if you do that in real life, why not on the bench?

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: Imagine what women can do when they're on the bench. It's not that law is different from society, so how you behave socially is what law is.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: We have to completely change our mindset.

How many women who work are expected to go back and cook when they get home? Why do they look at their children's homework?

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: We are living in a men-dominated society. It's not a society India envisaged.

Women have a very different approach. They may be emotional, but they come up with very novel situations.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: Our mindset has to change. It's changing, but at a very very slow pace.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: You also have to have a population balance on the bench.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: This society needs to have a complete mindset change. We need equal representation.

Imagine a situation where there are all female judges- why not?

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva concludes his address.

#DelhiHighCourt #WomenRepresentation