In a significant development, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud of India's highest judicial body, the Supreme Court, announced today the launch of the "Guidebook For Confronting Gender Stereotypes". This guidebook has been meticulously crafted with the explicit purpose of identifying and eradicating the usage of language infused with gender biases in legal pronouncements and court discourse.
Justice Chandrachud said that this initiative has been undertaken to provide support to judges and the legal community in recognising, comprehending and challenging the deeply ingrained prejudices surrounding women in legal discussions. The guidebook suggests suitable alternatives that can be seamlessly incorporated into legal drafts, encompassing petitions, directives and verdicts.
At a public event held in March earlier this year, Justice Chandrachud had offered a glimpse into the forthcoming guidebook on gender stereotypes. He had cited examples from previous judgments, such as referring to a woman as a 'concubine' in cases involving relationships, or labelling women as 'keeps' in situations pertaining to the quashing of First Information Reports under the Domestic Violence Act and Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code.
Chaired by Judge Moushumi Bhattacharya of the Calcutta High Court, the endeavour received contributions from Justice Prathiba M Singh of the Delhi High Court, former judges Prabha Sridevan and Gita Mittal, as well as Jhuma Sen, a practicing advocate in the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court. Sen is also an adjunct faculty member at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata.