The Supreme Court has directed the Bar Council of India to ensure 30% reservation for women in state bar council elections.
The Supreme Court asked the Bar Council of India (BCI) to ensure 30 percent reservation for women in the upcoming state bar council elections.
While hearing a petition seeking mandatory female representation in state bar councils on Thursday, the apex court was told by the BCI that implementing such reservation would require amendment to the Advocates Act.
Supreme Court’s directive to the Bar Council
Moreover, many state bar council election processes have already begun, making it difficult to make immediate changes, senior advocate Gurukumar, representing the BCI, told a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Jaymalya Bagchi.
Chief Justice Kant said, “We expect the BCI to interpret the rules in such a way that it ensures 30 percent reservation in the State Bar Councils; this status should also be available to office holders of certain positions.”
Ensuring 30% Reservation for Women
When the BCI counsel expressed concern about whether a sufficient number of women advocates would contest the elections, the bench referred to a workshop conducted by the Supreme Court Bar Association based on a survey among women advocates.
The Chief Justice said, “You were not at yesterday’s workshop. 83 percent of women want to become members of the CSBA.” The bench was hearing petitions filed by Yogmaya MG and Shehla Choudhary, seeking reservation of one-third of seats for women in all State Bar Councils.
Reservation in State Bar Council Elections
They also requested that at least one office holder post be reserved for women advocates. The petitions are based on the top court’s May 2, 2024 order directing that one-third of the seats in the executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association, including one office-holder post, be reserved for women.
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