Archive · 26 May 2025
Supreme Court Gender Gap: Female Judges with Shorter Tenures
The Supreme Court of India has a gender imbalance.
Only a small number of women have been judges, and they tend to serve for a shorter time than men.
This is partly because women are appointed to the court at a slightly older age.
The first time more than one woman served at the same time was in 2011.
Judges must retire at 65, which also affects the length of time women judges serve.
This means that fewer women get to be in the court.
As of May 2025, there were only two women judges active.
The Supreme Court's strength will be 31 judges after May 24, 2025.
There have only been 11 female Supreme Court justices, accounting for 4% of all judges since 1950.
The median appointment age for female judges is 61, while it's 59 for males.
Female judges' tenures are around six months shorter than male judges who aren't Chief Justice.
Justice B.V. Nagarathna is the lone woman judge in the top court after June 9, 2025.
- Who
- The Supreme Court of India, including justices such as Bela M. Trivedi, B.V. Nagarathna, and Justice Abhay S. Oka.
- What
- The Supreme Court has a gender gap, with fewer female judges and shorter tenures compared to male judges.
- When
- Since January 28, 1950, when the Supreme Court of India came into being.
- Where
- The Supreme Court of India.
- Why
- The gender gap in the Supreme Court is due to fewer women judges and differing appointment ages, leading to shorter tenures.
- Supreme Court Strength
- 31 judges (after May 24, 2025)
- Total Female Justices (since 1950)
- 11
- Percentage of Female Justices
- 4%
- First time with >1 women justices
- September 13, 2011
- Median Appointment Age (Female)
- 61
- Median Appointment Age (Male)
- 59
- Retirement Age
- 65