MyVoice: Views of our readers 10th March 2026

Dearth of women judges in HCs

The International Day for Women Judges is observed on March 10. As things stand, across all High Courts in India, there are presently 116 women judges out of a total working strength of 781. Only Punjab and Haryana, Madras and Bombay High Courts have reasonable women representation. In the Supreme Court, Justice B V Nagarathna is the only woman on the bench among 33 judges. Ironically, no woman has been appointed to the top court after 2021.

As Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said recently the High Court collegiums should identify more suitable women to be elevated to the benches. Women are well equipped to find solutions through dialogue, and they are hugely sensitive to human rights and relations. It is believed that women judges bring with them diverse approaches, varied outlook and fresh thought processes. Lawyers of a state practicing in the Supreme Court could also be considered, he said. This needs to be duly addressed.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat, Akola

Don’t distort the term ‘Vishwaguru’

I write with respect for freedom of press and the legitimate place of satire in democratic discourse. My concern is limited and specific. The repeated use of the term “Vishwaguru” in the cartoon series “Irregular by Manjul” appears to place a civilisational expression within a recurring satirical frame. The term, however, historically refers to the intellectual and philosophical legacy of Bharat, and is not attributable to any individual or transient political context.

Given the spirit of Article 51A of the Constitution, which calls upon citizens to respect national ideals and preserve cultural heritage, a measure of editorial restraint in the use of such terms may be appropriate across all media.

B S C Naveen Kumar, Hyderabad

Today is ‘CISF Raising Day’

The reach and responsibilities of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that was established, under the CISF Act, 1968, on March 10, 1969, has been growing manifold over the years. The 2026 theme for CISF Raising Day, celebrated on March 10 every year for the last 56 years, is “Safe coast, prosperous India”. This is aimed at raising awareness about national security in coastal areas, highlighting the threats posed by smuggling, including drugs, weapons and explosives. Its growth has been consistent.

Starting with 2,800 personnel, it now boasts of 1,48,371 staff. The CISF Raising Day serves as a tribute to the bravery, dedication, and sacrifices of personnel, highlighting their commitment to national security. The CISF Raising Day has a great significance in recognising its efforts and sacrifices to protect our government, people and industrial establishments. The day is also used to educate people about CISF’s responsibilities, security measures, and modern advancements in safeguarding the nation. Young people are urged to pursue a career in security services and contribute to the country’s safety.

Dr Madhusudhan Reddy Burra, Karimnagar

Remove “secular” from the constitution

I strongly feel that the time has come for removing the word “secular” from the constitution. The nation survived for close to three decades without that word but got traumatized for the next 50 years. The word “secular” was not in the original Preamble of the Indian Constitution as drafted by Dr B R Ambedkar and adopted in 1950. It was added to the Preamble by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 during the Emergency, along with “socialist”. Yes, time has come to keep it away.

Jayanthi Maniam, Trichy

Girls need more buses not EVs

This has reference to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s assurance that college-going girls would be gifted electric scooters. The State has a robust higher education system with over 1,000-degree colleges; more than 1,300 professional colleges and over 2,900 junior colleges (2022-23 data). Our country has a maximum number of illiterates and daily wage-earners. Learning to drive electric vehicles will be too taxing for girls from such families. A better option for the government is to introduce buses for girls. Moreover, traffic can be better regulated if buses are provided to educational institutions.

G Murali Mohana Rao, Secunderabad-11