Delhi High Court Seeks 33% Reservation for Women Lawyers in Bar Councils

The Delhi High Court has requested responses from the Bar Council of Delhi and various bar associations regarding a petition to reserve 33% of seats for women lawyers. The plea, filed by advocate Shobha Gupta and represented by senior advocate Pinky Anand, argues that despite the significant presence of women lawyers, they are underrepresented in leadership roles which impacts women's rights and justice access.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought the response of the Bar Council of Delhi and several bar bodies on a petition seeking to reserve 33 percent of seats for women lawyers in bar associations.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued notices to the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), Bar Council of India (BCI), and Delhi High Court Bar Association, on the petition filed by advocate Shobha Gupta.

The court also notified the New Delhi Bar Association, Delhi Bar Association, Saket Bar Association, Dwarka Court Bar Association, Shahdara Bar Association, and Rohini Bar Association, requesting their responses to the plea by August 12.

The Bar Council of Delhi was represented by advocate T Singhdev.

Petitioner Shobha Gupta emphasized that despite the growing number of women in the legal profession, their presence is scarce in leadership positions within bar associations. Senior advocate Pinky Anand noted that the Supreme Court had recently mandated one-third seat reservations for women in the Supreme Court Bar Association elections.

The plea underscored that the under-representation of women in effective posts within BCD and other bar associations can negatively affect women's rights and hinder the justice system's overall effectiveness.