New Delhi: Out of 593 judges appointed to India’s high courts between 2021 and January 2026, only 26 belong to the Scheduled Caste category, 14 to Scheduled Tribe, and 80 to Other Backward Castes, the parliament was informed on Thursday (February 5).In a written reply to a query by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK) MP P. Wilson in Rajya Sabha, Union minister of state (independent charge) for parliamentary affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal informed, “As per the information provided by the recommendees, out of 593 Judges appointed from 01.01.2021 till 30.01.2026, 26 belong to SC category, 14 belong to ST category, 80 belong to OBC category and 37 belong to the minority category. 96 women were appointed as Judges in various High Courts during the same period.”In what appeared like shifting responsibility, he said, “As per the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), the responsibility for initiation of proposals for appointment of Judges in the Supreme Court vests with the Chief Justice of India, while the responsibility for initiation of proposals for appointment of Judges in High Courts vests with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court.”“However,” he added, “the Government is committed to enhancing social diversity in judiciary and has been requesting the Chief Justices of High Courts that while sending proposals for appointment of Judges, due consideration be given to suitable candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Minorities and Women to ensure social diversity in the appointment of Judges in High Courts.”Reacting to the minister’s response, DMK leader P. Wilson, who served as the Additional Solicitor General of India between August 2012 and May 2014, expressed shock at the “poor representation” of OBC, SC, and ST communities in the high courts and Supreme Court.“As we enter the 76th year of our constitution, concerning trends persist in the composition of the High Court judges, with declining representation from various sections of society. There is a notable diversity deficit in High Courts, which does not reflect the wonderfully diverse and pluralistic society of India. Many social groups are underrepresented in the High Courts and the Supreme Court. There is evident discrimination in the recruitment process for High Court judges,” he said in a post on X.Giving the numbers provided in percentages, he noted that as per the data, 4.38% of high court judges are from SC category, 2.36% from ST category, 13.49% OBCs, whereas 79.76% belong to “Forward caste” (upper caste).He further noted that between 2018 and October 30, 2024, the numbers were equally dismal, with 3.07% (21) from SC category, 2.05% (14) from ST category, 11.99% (82) OBCs and the rest 82.89% (567).As we enter the 76th year of our Constitution, concerning trends persist in the composition of the High Court judges, with declining representation from various sections of society. There is a notable diversity deficit in High Courts, which does not reflect the wonderfully… pic.twitter.com/JJWLw0xCul— P. Wilson -தமிழ்நாட்டை தலைகுனிய விட மாட்டேன் (@PWilsonDMK) February 5, 2026“This suggests that the rights of the downtrodden may not be adequately safeguarded, potentially leading to infringements and violations. People are concerned that a narrow, homogeneous group of judges from certain classes may not reflect society’s diverse views and values, especially on issues related to culture and generational differences, as they tend to interpret laws based on their own backgrounds,” he said. “A more diverse judiciary is essential; without it, the rights of underrepresented groups are at greater risk, which could, in turn, lead to discrimination. The lack of judges from historically oppressed groups is telling; it is not due to a lack of qualifications or non-availability, but a firm decision to discriminate and keep them away from the judiciary,” he added.Demanding a constitutional amendment in the appointment of high court and Supreme Court judges to reflect OBC/ SC / ST in proportionate representation, he noted that the “overrepresentation of certain groups” calls into question the “objectivity of the current collegium system and its failure to recruit from across social divides”.