New Delhi, December 26: Government is mulling appointing a woman judge to the Supreme Court after President Pratibha Patil made a suggestion in this regard to the Law Ministry.
A Rashtrapati Bhavan Source said the President has asked the Ministry to explore the possibility of elevating at least one woman judge to the Supreme Court as there has not been a appointment of single woman judge after the retirement of Justice Ruma Pal in June 2006.
Law Minister M Veerapa Moily said he also favoured the appointment of woman judge to the Supreme Court.
“Everybody wants that. I am not in disagreement,” he said when asked about the President’s proposal.
Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Gyan Sudha Mishra is the senior-most among the woman judges in High Courts who can be considered for elevation to the apex court.
Others in seniority after Justice Mishra are Rekha Doshit of the Gujarat High Court, Justice Ranjana P Dessai of the Bombay High Court and Justice T Meena Kumari of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Justice M Fatima Beevi was the first woman judge in the Supreme Court followed by Justices Sujata Manohar and Ruma Pal.
Against the sanctioned strength of 31, the Supreme Court has 27 judges.
-PTI