Glossary of inappropriate gender terms used in legal discourse soon: CJI

The CJI also announced that creating a large space for women lawyers in the Supreme Court annexe building was also on the anvil.

Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud revealed that there are plans for releasing a legal glossary of inappropriate gendered terms in the use of legal discourse.

He also said creating a large space for women lawyers in the Supreme Court annexe building was also on the anvil.

The Chief Justice of India made the comments while speaking at an event organised by the Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee of the Supreme Court.

Also in attendance were the chairperson of the committee, Justice Hima Kohli, Justice B V Nagarathna among others. Among the dignitaries were former Supreme Court judge Indira Gandhi.

Justice Chandrachud pointed out that one of the problems in the profession was the harassment of women and inappropriate behaviour towards them. He said the he had heard 'ghastly' stories involving young women lawyers arising out of the corridor itself.

"Even if part of those stories that I was told are believable, and I see no reason not to believe them because I think every one of them has a germ of of trust, we need to ensure that there is zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour towards women, use of inappropriate language in relation to women, use of inappropriate language in relation to women, and even on cracking inappropriate jokes in the presence of women," the CJI said according to a report in Live Law.

"There were instances when I was a young lawyer, of seniors sitting in a group cracking a 'joke' at the expense of a woman lawyer there, which would be extremely unbecoming. No one then had the guts to tell the senior that the language was inappropriate. But we have come a long way now." He added that people now realise that some forms of behaviour - physical, language-based, action-based, or symbolic - are plainly unacceptable, particularly in the workplace. "We need to emphasise this that these kinds of behaviour are not acceptable. It is also important to send this message to the authorities. Excesses do not begin in the corridors. They continue as you go higher and higher in terms of authority. It is important to recognise that and put an end to it," CJI Chanrachiud also said.

The first plan was that of releasing a legal glossary of inappropriate gendered terms used in legal discourse. He said that this was a mission, he had undertaken a few years back and now it is nearing fruition. He hoped that it would shed light on why and how women are discriminated against not just in society in the legal profession, but also in the language employed.

"For instance, I have come across judgments which have referred to a woman as a 'concubine' when she is in a relationship. Women have been called 'keeps' in judgments where there were applications for quashing of FIRs under the Domestic Violence Act and Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code," the CJI said.

He also said that the legal glossary was prepared by a committee chaired by Calcutta High Court judge, Moushumi Bhattacharya. The others involved included former judges, Gita Mittal and Prabha Sridevan and Professor Jhuma sen.

"It is nearing completion and will be revealed in the near future,"the CJI said.