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9 August 2026

Supreme Court Gender Sensitivity Handbook

This is a landmark judicial initiative by the Supreme Court that directly addresses systemic issues in judicial adjudication, gender justice, and the functioning of the judiciary, making it highly relevant for GS2.

2 min read 2 questions 2 prelims

Notes

  • The Supreme Court released a report titled ‘Judgments and Gender: Sensitivity and Compassion in Writing Judgments’ on August 3, 2026.
  • The report was drafted by an expert committee led by Justice Aniruddha Bose, Director of the National Judicial Academy (NJA).
  • It replaces the 2023 ‘Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes’ to provide more practical, India-specific guidance for judges.
  • The initiative followed a 2026 SC judgment that criticized an Allahabad High Court ruling for misinterpreting the distinction between 'preparation' and 'attempt' in a sexual assault case.
  • The report emphasizes 'trauma-informed adjudication', advising judges not to draw adverse inferences from delayed reporting, lack of physical injury, or survivor demeanor.
  • It recommends replacing terms like 'prosecutrix' with 'victim', 'survivor', or 'complainant' to better reflect lived realities.
  • Judicial writing is advised to avoid moralistic language regarding 'chastity' or 'honour' and focus on legal injury and bodily autonomy.
  • Courtroom practices mandated include in-camera proceedings for sexual offences, protection of survivor identity, and strict prohibition of offensive questions regarding a survivor's sexual history.
  • The report advocates for the use of the SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and Sex Characteristics) framework.

Questions

  1. How does the shift from theoretical gender-sensitivity guidelines to trauma-informed judicial practices enhance the delivery of justice in sexual offence cases? 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
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  2. Discuss the role of the judiciary in eliminating gender stereotypes from legal discourse. How do initiatives like the Supreme Court’s new report on gender-sensitive judgment writing contribute to upholding the constitutional values of equality and dignity? 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. The ‘Judgments and Gender: Sensitivity and Compassion in Writing Judgments’ report was formulated by which body?

  2. Which of the following frameworks does the new Supreme Court report recommend for referring to people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-08-09/supreme-court-gender-sensitivity-handbook