Supreme Court Mandates Gender Representation in Bar Council Elections

The Supreme Court has mandated 30% representation for women advocates in upcoming Bar Council elections in Punjab and Haryana. This decision was based on a pending petition seeking to ensure women's representation in bar councils across India. The court's ruling aims to ensure fair gender representation in legal bodies.

The Supreme Court has mandated that women advocates must make up 30% of the representation in the upcoming Bar Council elections for Punjab and Haryana. This decision is part of an effort to address gender disparity in state bar councils countrywide.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant emphasized that all state bar councils yet to announce elections must include women for 30% of the available seats. This move was made while considering a request to increase the number of elected members to reflect growth among advocates.

In light of this new directive, ongoing and future bar council elections must now uphold these guidelines to ensure equitable gender representation. The court has also sought the advice of the Attorney General to assist in further deliberations.

(With inputs from agencies.)