New Delhi, February 28: The Supreme Court of India on Friday set aside the termination of two women judges by the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the State government. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh found their termination to be illegal and arbitrary, citing that their performance, as per the High Court’s own report, contradicted the decision.
The Court directed that the terminated judges be reinstated and stressed the importance of showing greater sensitivity towards women judicial officers. The matter stems from a suo moto case initiated by the Supreme Court in January 2024, following the termination of six women judges in the state. Four of them had been reinstated in September 2024 after the Court’s intervention.
One of the terminated judges had faced significant personal challenges during her probation period, including contracting COVID-19 and suffering a miscarriage. The Supreme Court noted that these hardships were not considered when adverse comments were made in her Annual Confidential Report (ACR). The Court emphasized that the High Court should have shown more empathy and understanding in its evaluation of her performance.
Highlighting the physical and emotional toll of such personal experiences, the Court pointed out the unique difficulties faced by women in the judiciary, particularly the profound effects of miscarriage on both physical and mental well-being. The ruling reinforces the need for a more compassionate approach towards women in the legal profession, especially in the evaluation of their performance.