On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India initiated the day by unveiling a handbook aimed at assisting judges in steering clear of gender stereotypes when drafting judgments and engaging in legal discussions. This coincided with the sixth day of the Supreme Court Constitution Bench’s hearing on petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 within the context of Jammu and Kashmir. Here’s a roundup of these developments and more from this Wednesday:
The Supreme Court unveiled a handbook on countering gender stereotypes, designed to guide judges away from using inappropriate gender-based terms in their court orders. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, while launching the handbook, remarked, “This pertains to stereotypes surrounding women in legal discourse. It identifies the stereotypes employed by the courts, often unintentionally. The aim is not to cast doubt on judgments. Instead, it will assist judges in avoiding such language by recognizing phrasing that perpetuates stereotypes. The handbook highlights binding decisions that have underscored these concerns.” The handbook lists various terms that judges should avoid using in the future to prevent casting aspersions on judgments or the judges who authored them.
The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court continued its hearing of a cluster of petitions challenging the central government’s decision to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution, thereby ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. This marked the sixth day of proceedings before the bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice SK Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, Justice BR Gavai, and Justice Surya Kant. The Supreme Court currently has over 20 petitions pending, all challenging the central government’s action. Senior advocates Dushyant Dave and Rajiv Dhavan presented their arguments on behalf of the petitioners. The Constitution Bench is set to resume the hearing on Thursday.
The Central Government submitted a draft standard operating procedure (SOP) to the Supreme Court, outlining suggestions regarding ‘Appearances of Government Officials in Court Proceedings/Contempt Proceedings’ in matters related to the government. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta presented the SOP, which pertains to all court proceedings concerning government matters before the Supreme Court, High Courts, and other courts exercising appellate and/or original jurisdiction within their purview
