DMK MP P. Wilson Introduces Bill for Judicial Diversity and Regional Supreme Court Benches
Updated (4 articles)
Bill Launch Highlights Constitutional Amendment Goals On 19 February 2026, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP P. Wilson of the DMK tabled a private‑member constitutional amendment seeking proportional representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, religious minorities and women in appointments to the Supreme Court and High Courts [1]. The proposal also calls for full‑jurisdiction regional Supreme Court benches in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi, reserving only constitutional matters for the principal bench [1].
Current Appointment Mechanism and Collegium Criticisms Under Articles 124, 217 and 130, judges are appointed by the President after consulting the Chief Justice of India, while High Court appointments also involve the state governor [1]. The collegium system—comprising the CJI and senior judges—has been praised for insulating judges from executive pressure but is widely condemned for opacity and alleged nepotism, with data suggesting favoritism toward relatives of sitting judges [1]. The 2014 99th amendment that created the NJAC was struck down in 2015 for violating the judiciary’s basic structure, leaving the collegium as the sole mechanism [1].
Statistical Evidence of Under‑representation Between 2018 and 2024, only about 20 % of higher‑court judges belonged to SC, ST or OBC categories, women accounted for less than 15 % and religious minorities under 5 % of the bench [1]. The Bill would mandate appointments proportional to each group’s share of the national population, aiming to correct this long‑standing imbalance [1]. Advocates argue that such quotas would enhance public confidence and reflect India’s demographic diversity [1].
Backlog Pressures and Proposed Regional Bench Structure The Supreme Court’s docket exceeded 90,000 pending cases as of January 2026, a backlog attributed partly to the court’s sole location in Delhi [1]. Wilson’s bill proposes establishing regional benches with full jurisdiction in the four major cities, thereby decentralizing case handling and improving access to justice for litigants outside the capital [1]. The article also suggests reviving a broadened NJAC—including legislators, bar council members and academics—to oversee appointments while the regional benches are phased in under existing constitutional provisions [1].
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Timeline
1951 – India does not sign the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol, so obligations toward Rohingya migrants arise from the Constitution, domestic immigration laws, and general human‑rights norms, framing the legal backdrop of the Rohingya debate [4].
2014 – The 99th Constitutional Amendment creates the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) to address opacity in judicial appointments, a reform later referenced in current diversity proposals [1].
2015 – The Supreme Court strikes down the NJAC, upholding the basic‑structure doctrine and preserving the collegium system, a pivotal precedent for today’s appointment reforms [1].
Dec 10, 2025 – Forty‑four retired judges issue an open letter condemning a campaign against the Chief Justice of India over Rohingya remarks, calling it an attack on judicial independence and urging a court‑monitored Special Investigation Team to probe illegal identity‑document procurement [4].
Dec 21, 2025 – Supreme Court Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra delivers a keynote at the AP Judicial Academy, urging district judges to uphold constitutional values with discipline and knowledge, stressing that access to justice depends on the judiciary’s performance and public‑friendly proceedings [3].
Jan 9, 2026 – The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, denies Rapolu Bhaskar’s plea to contest Telangana State Bar Council elections, reinforcing higher ethical standards for bar poll candidates and setting a deadline for the elections to be completed by Jan 31, 2026 [2].
Jan 31, 2026 – Telangana State Bar Council elections conclude without Bhaskar’s candidacy, reflecting the Supreme Court’s enforcement of ethical screening for bar council members [2].
Feb 19, 2026 – DMK MP P. Wilson introduces a private‑member Bill proposing constitutional amendments to ensure SC, ST, OBC, minority, and women representation in Supreme Court and High Court appointments and to establish full‑jurisdiction regional Supreme Court benches in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi, aiming to reduce a backlog of over 90,000 cases [1].
Post‑2026 (planned) – The Bill recommends reviving a broadened NJAC with members from the legislature, Bar Council, and academia, modeled on South Africa and the UK, to broaden consultation and ensure representation while regional benches are phased in under existing constitutional provisions [1].
Post‑2026 (planned) – Full‑jurisdiction regional benches in Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai would handle all matters except constitutional issues, intended to improve access to justice and alleviate Delhi’s caseload pending parliamentary approval of the Bill [1].
All related articles (4 articles)
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The Hindu: DMK MP’s Bill Seeks Judicial Diversity and Regional Supreme Court Benches
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The Hindu: Supreme Court upholds higher ethical standards for bar poll contenders, denies Bhaskar's plea
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The Hindu: SC judge urges discipline and knowledge to uphold constitutional values
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The Hindu: Forty-four retired judges condemn campaign against CJI over Rohingya remarks