Supreme Court Dismisses Delayed Plea for SC/ST Lawyers' Reservation in Bar Councils

The Supreme Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation seeking reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe lawyers in state Bar councils, citing its untimeliness as elections were already underway. The court emphasized the distinction between 'reservation' and 'representation,' referencing previous rulings on women's representation.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a PIL seeking reservation for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe lawyers in state Bar councils. The plea was considered late, as elections were already underway, a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant observed.

Petitioners, including Ram Kumar Gautam, pointed to previous Supreme Court directives mandating women's representation in these councils, arguing for similar treatment. The CJI, however, clarified the previous mandate facilitated representation, not reservation, highlighting the sustained efforts by women that led to the directive.

The bench advised petitioners to first contact relevant authorities and return to the court if issues persist. The option to represent before the Bar Council of India was granted, with hopes for due consideration from the competent authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)