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New Delhi: The representation of Muslims within the Indian judiciary is notably minimal, encompassing roles from the Supreme Court down to various judicial and quasi-judicial bodies, highlighting a significant diversity gap over the past seven and a half decades.
According to Kashmir Media Service, of the 35 Ministers of Law and Justice since independence, only Salman Khurshid, who served from January 2011 to October 2012, represents the Muslim community. The Supreme Court has had only four Muslim Chief Justices out of fifty, including notable figures like Justice Mohammed Hidayatullah and Justice Altamas Kabir, while none of the 12 Secretary-Generals and Registrars of the Supreme Court have been Muslim.
The broader judiciary exhibits a similar pattern, with only 16 Muslims among the 265 judges who have served on the Supreme Court bench. In the high courts, 207 out of 3,649 judges have been Muslims, with 39 of 677 chief justices belonging to the community. Despite 436 senior lawyers currently serving in the Supreme Court, only 28 are Muslim as of October 2024.
In related legal institutions, the representation remains sparse. No Muslim has ever headed the Lok Pal or been a member of it. Among the country’s 112 Lok Ayuktas, only five were Muslim, and only two of 41 Upa Lok Ayuktas share this distinction. Additionally, out of 13,034 registered notaries, only 684 are Muslims. No Muslim has chaired the Law Commission or headed the National Green Tribunal.
In the sector of Goods and Services Tax (GST) practitioners, of the total 95,121, 11,074 are Muslims, indicating a slight increase in participation in legal financial advisory roles compared to judicial appointments.
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