{"id":61800,"date":"2025-10-03T10:33:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-03T05:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=61800"},"modified":"2025-10-10T11:04:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T05:34:37","slug":"daily-editorial-analysis-3-september-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/daily-editorial-analysis-3-september-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Editorial Analysis 3 September 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>India Needs More Women Judges in the Supreme Court<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Supreme Court of India<\/strong>, as the highest judicial authority in the country, carries not only the responsibility of interpreting constitutional provisions but also of <strong>embodying the principles of equality and inclusion enshrined in the Constitution. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>However, <strong>its own institutional history reveals a striking underrepresentation of women.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The <strong>retirement of Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia<\/strong> in August 2025 and the subsequent <strong>appointments of Justices Vipul Pancholi and Alok Aradhe,<\/strong> <strong>without the inclusion of a woman<\/strong>, has once again drawn attention to the <strong>persistent gender imbalance in the Court.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>At present, <strong>Justice B.V. Nagarathna is the only woman among a full strength of 34 judges<\/strong>, raising critical questions about the process and criteria of judicial appointments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Historical Trends in Women\u2019s Representation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Since its establishment in 1950, <strong>the Supreme Court has had only eleven women judges<\/strong>, constituting roughly <strong>8% of the 287 judges<\/strong> appointed to date.<\/li>\n<li>This small proportion highlights the <strong>slow pace of gender inclusion<\/strong>. The appointment of Justice <strong>Fathima Beevi in 1989 was a landmark moment<\/strong>, but subsequent progress has been limited.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Collegium decision in August 2021<\/strong>, which <strong>elevated three women judges<\/strong> simultaneously, briefly <strong>increased women\u2019s representation above 10%.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>This was unprecedented<strong>, but the momentum was not sustained<\/strong>, and subsequent appointments reverted to established patterns of exclusion.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>demographic profile of these eleven judges also reveals further gaps. <\/strong>No woman judge has ever been appointed from the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, and only Justice Fathima Beevi has represented a religious minority.<\/li>\n<li>Moreover, <strong>the pathway of direct elevation from the Bar, <\/strong>often regarded as an important route into the higher judiciary, <strong>has overwhelmingly benefited men.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>While nine male lawyers have been appointed<\/strong> directly to the Supreme Court since 1950, <strong>only one woman, Justice Indu Malhotra, has achieved this distinction.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Structural Barriers to Advancement<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Another notable trend is the <strong>relatively late age at which women judges are appointed<\/strong> to the Court. This restricts their tenure and limits their ability to attain seniority.<\/li>\n<li>For example, <strong>several women judges have served for fewer than three years<\/strong>, diminishing their influence in the Court\u2019s institutional processes.<\/li>\n<li>This has <strong>also affected their opportunities to participate in the Collegium<\/strong>, which plays a decisive role in appointments.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Justice Nagarathna is expected to become the first woman Chief Justice of India in 2027<\/strong>, but her term will last only 36 days, an appointment more symbolic than substantive in institutional impact.<\/li>\n<li><strong>These patterns suggest<\/strong> that <strong>structural barriers,<\/strong> rather than individual merit, have constrained women\u2019s advancement.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>absence of systematic efforts to address these barriers perpetuates a cycle<\/strong> of underrepresentation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Collegium System and Gender Blindness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>process of judicial appointments through the Collegium system has long been criticised<\/strong> for its opacity.<\/li>\n<li>While the Memorandum of Procedure outlines the broad framework, where the Chief Justice of India, in consultation with the four senior-most judges, makes recommendations that are forwarded to the executive, <strong>the actual criteria guiding selection remain unspecified. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Although caste, religion, and regional representation are occasionally cited, <strong>gender has not been institutionalised as a factor.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Attempts at transparency have been inconsistent.<\/strong> During the tenure of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Collegium resolutions with stated reasons were made public, but this practice has not been consistently followed by his successors.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>absence of clarity creates a system in which gender considerations remain at the margins<\/strong>, dependent on the priorities of individual decision-makers rather than embedded within institutional policy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Implications for Judicial Diversity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>limited representation of women in the Supreme Court has implications<\/strong> beyond numbers. Judges inevitably bring their personal and professional experiences into judicial reasoning.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women judges,<\/strong> by virtue of their perspectives, <strong>may highlight issues that might otherwise be overlooked,<\/strong> particularly in cases concerning gender justice, family law, or social policy.<\/li>\n<li>However, <strong>the underrepresentation of women constrains the diversity of viewpoints <\/strong>that can enrich judicial deliberations.<\/li>\n<li>Moreover, <strong>the absence of women from leadership positions, such as the Collegium or the Chief Justiceship, weakens the ability of the judiciary<\/strong> to present itself as fully representative of Indian society.<\/li>\n<li>While the Court has advanced progressive jurisprudence on gender equality in various judgments, <strong>its own institutional practices lag behind its pronouncements.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>analysis of women\u2019s representation in the Supreme Court of India reveals structural and procedural gaps<\/strong> that perpetuate gender imbalance.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>issue is not simply about fairness to women candidates but about the institutional legitimacy<\/strong> of the judiciary itself.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>representative bench, inclusive of women from varied backgrounds, would strengthen public confidence<\/strong> in the judiciary and ensure a broader range of perspectives in judicial decision-making.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Without systemic reforms<\/strong> to address these structural barriers, <strong>the Supreme Court\u2019s commitment to gender equality risks remaining more rhetorical<\/strong> than real.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>India Needs More Women Judges in the Supreme Court FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> How many women have been appointed to the Supreme Court of India since its inception?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Since 1950, only eleven women have been appointed to the Supreme Court of India.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong> Who is the only woman currently serving as a judge in the Supreme Court?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Justice B.V. Nagarathna is the only woman currently serving as a judge in the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3.<\/strong> Why are women judges often unable to attain seniority in the Supreme Court?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Women judges are often appointed at a later age, which limits their tenure and opportunities for senior positions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4.<\/strong> What are the main issues with the Collegium system of judicial appointments?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> The Collegium system lacks transparency, has undefined criteria for selection, and does not institutionalise gender as a factor.<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong> Why is the presence of women judges important for the Supreme Court?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Women judges bring diverse perspectives and experiences that can enrich judicial reasoning and enhance public confidence in the judiciary.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/lead\/india-needs-more-women-judges-in-the-supreme-court\/article70004980.ece#:~:text=As%20a%20way%20to%20create,significant%20impact%20on%20judicial%20outcomes.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>Sickle Cell: The Battle for Disability Justice\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016<\/strong> was introduced to safeguard dignity, equality, and inclusion for persons with disabilities in India, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.<\/li>\n<li>However, <strong>the revised guidelines issued in March 2024<\/strong> to assess the disability status of individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD), beta thalassaemia, and related blood disorders highlight the <strong>persistent tension between intent and implementation. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li>While r<strong>ecognition of SCD under the Act represents progress, the exclusion of such conditions from employment reservations<\/strong> and the rigid certification process, <strong>undermine the law\u2019s transformative potential.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Legal Framework and Its Limits<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>RPWD Act categorises persons with benchmark disabilities<\/strong> those with at least 40% impairment, as eligible for benefits such as free school education, development assistance, and quotas in public sector employment.<\/li>\n<li>Yet this <strong>framework rests heavily on biomedical measurement<\/strong>, which often fails to reflect lived experiences.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>guidelines for SCD continue to rely on impairment scoring<\/strong>, privileging visible or easily quantifiable conditions while overlooking chronic, fluctuating, and invisible disabilities.<\/li>\n<li>This <strong>narrow approach conflicts with the Act\u2019s stated goal <\/strong>of recognising disability as not merely a medical condition but as a product of social and structural exclusion.<\/li>\n<li>By <strong>failing to extend the 4% reservation in public sector jobs to individuals with SCD<\/strong>, the government has effectively <strong>diminished the value of acknowledging the condition under the Act<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The result is a form of symbolic recognition that does not translate into tangible protections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Nature of Sickle Cell Disability and Barriers in Certification<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>The Nature of Sickle Cell Disability<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>SCD is a lifelong, painful, and disabling blood disorder that <strong>disproportionately affects marginalised Adivasi and Dalit communities.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Though <strong>its symptoms may not always be outwardly visible, the disease entails recurrent pain crises, anaemia<\/strong>, organ damage, and frequent hospitalisation from childhood onwards.<\/li>\n<li>These <strong>episodes interrupt education, limit livelihood opportunities<\/strong>, and shorten life expectancy.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>social stigma surrounding the disease further compounds the challenges faced by affected individuals<\/strong>, making them vulnerable to discrimination in schooling, employment, and healthcare access.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Barriers in Certification<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Certification is the gateway<\/strong> to most entitlements under the RPWD Act.<\/li>\n<li>However, <strong>obtaining a disability certificate for SCD patients is fraught with difficulties.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Diagnosis <strong>requires confirmatory tests from government or accredited laboratories<\/strong>, followed by evaluation by a district medical authority.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>scoring system assigns points based on complications<\/strong> such as transfusion frequency, neurological impact, or degree of pain.<\/li>\n<li>This <strong>mechanistic approach often excludes individuals whose disability manifests episodically <\/strong>or whose symptoms are primarily invisible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Socioeconomic Consequences and the Way Forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Socioeconomic Consequences<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The inadequacies of the current framework have <strong>direct implications for education, employment, and poverty alleviation. <\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Children with SCD often miss school due to hospitalisation<\/strong>, while young adults face disrupted career trajectories and recurrent job losses because of painful episodes.<\/li>\n<li>Despite this, <strong>the denial of job reservations under the RPWD Act deprives them of opportunities<\/strong> for stable livelihoods.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Economic exclusion is reinforced by gaps<\/strong> in social protection.<\/li>\n<li>While <strong>income tax deductions and enhanced pension schemes<\/strong> exist for persons with certified disabilities, <strong>many SCD patients remain unable to access them<\/strong> due to restrictive scoring and certification hurdles.<\/li>\n<li>This <strong>perpetuates a cycle of vulnerability<\/strong> in which health burdens and social disadvantage feed into one another.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>The Way Forward: Towards a More Inclusive Framework<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Several reforms are essential if the RPWD Act is to fulfil its promise of equality.<\/li>\n<li>First, <strong>job reservations should be extended to individuals with SCD<\/strong> and other chronic blood disorders, recognising the condition as a significant lifelong disability.<\/li>\n<li>Second, <strong>the certification process must be reformed<\/strong> to account for fluctuating and invisible disabilities.<\/li>\n<li>Instead of rigid scoring systems, <strong>assessments should adopt a rights-based approach<\/strong> that considers the broader socioeconomic impact of chronic illness.<\/li>\n<li>Third, <strong>outreach and support mechanisms must be strengthened<\/strong> for marginalised communities, ensuring that access to certification and entitlements does not depend on geographical or financial privilege.<\/li>\n<li><strong>These measures would align with the Act\u2019s original spirit:<\/strong> moving away from a narrow medical lens and acknowledging disability as a product of social exclusion and systemic barriers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The recognition of sickle cell disease under the RPWD Act marks an important step<\/strong>, but without substantive rights and protections, it risks becoming a hollow gesture.<\/li>\n<li><strong>By excluding SCD from employment reservations<\/strong> and relying on inaccessible certification processes, <strong>the state undermines the very principles of dignity, equality, and inclusion<\/strong> that the Act was meant to uphold.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Disability must be understood not only as an impairment but as a lived experience<\/strong> shaped by social, economic, and structural inequities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>For India\u2019s disability rights framework to be truly inclusive, it must embrace chronic and invisible conditions<\/strong> such as SCD, ensuring that recognition translates into real, enforceable rights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Sickle Cell: The Battle for Disability Justice\u00a0FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> What is the purpose of the RPWD Act, 2016?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> The RPWD Act, 2016 aims to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, promoting dignity, equality, and inclusion in society.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong> Why are individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) disadvantaged under the Act?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> They are disadvantaged because SCD is not included in public sector job reservations, and the disability certification process often fails to capture the condition\u2019s fluctuating and invisible impact.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3.<\/strong> How does SCD affect the daily lives of individuals?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> SCD causes recurrent pain, fatigue, organ damage, and frequent hospitalisation, which disrupt schooling, employment, and life opportunities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4.<\/strong> What are the barriers to obtaining disability certification for SCD patients?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Certification requires confirmatory tests and evaluation by medical authorities, which are often inaccessible to marginalised communities, and the scoring system does not account for episodic or invisible symptoms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong> What reforms are suggested to make the RPWD Act more inclusive for people with SCD?<br \/>\n<strong>Ans.<\/strong> Reforms include extending job reservations to individuals with SCD, adopting a rights-based certification process, and improving access for marginalised communities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/sickle-cell-the-battle-for-disability-justice\/article70005373.ece#:~:text=The%20continual%20reliance%20on%20biomedical,the%20condition%20under%20the%20Act&amp;text=In%20March%202024%2C%20the,(RPWD)%20Act%2C%202016.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Hindu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Daily Editorial Analysis 3 September 2025 by Vajiram &#038; Ravi covers key editorials from The Hindu &#038; Indian Express with UPSC-focused insights and relevance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":50653,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[141,882,909],"class_list":{"0":"post-61800","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-daily-editorial-analysis","8":"tag-daily-editorial-analysis","9":"tag-the-hindu-editorial-analysis","10":"tag-the-indian-express-analysis","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61800"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61800\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50653"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}