Punjab & Haryana HC gets first woman judge

In fact, a few years ago, the then High Court Chief Justice B K Roy had told mediapersons that the reason why none of the women advocates had ever been recommended for judgeship was because there was no “judge material” among them.

Chaudhary was among the few women advocates who had taken exception to the utterances of the Chief Justice, going on to pose him a question: “If women advocates were good enough to contest and win cases, be appointed as government lawyers, clear difficult entrance exams to qualify as members of the subordinate judiciary, why couldn’t they make it as judges of the High Court?”

Known to be a combative lawyer, Chaudhary knew what she was against. “I don’t say make me a judge. Choose anybody. But, don’t just dismiss us as if we have achieved nothing. I tell you, this High Court will have a woman Judge from among the lawyers in a few year’s time,” she had once told this reporter.

Her words were prophetic. But, she could not have known that she would be the first to break the barrier and be cleared for elevation to the Bench. But, this will not be the first time she will create history. She remains the first and only elected woman president of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association; the first-ever woman assistant solicitor general appointed by the Government of India to handle its legal problems concerning the states of Punjab and Haryana; only the second-ever designated senior advocate in the High Court.

Incidentally, the news that Chaudhary’s warrants of appointment have been issued by the President has been welcomed by women advocates. Says Nirmaljit Kaur, who has been appointed assistant solicitor general by the Union Law Ministry to take the post vacated by Chaudhary, “Daya Chaudhary’s elevation is an encouraging sign. I think it will strengthen the position of the women lawyers in the judicial system.”