SC directs 30% of Executive Committee Seats to be Reserved for Women Lawyers

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 23 January 2025

• 30% of Executive Committee Seats & Treasurer’s Posts to be Reserved for Women
• SC directs Delhi Sales Tax Bar Association to Reserve Seats for Women Lawyers
• Top Court directs 33% Reservation of Seats in Bangalore Bar Association for Women

30 per cent of the executive committee seats and the treasurer's post in the Delhi Sales Tax Bar Association and Delhi Tax Bar Association to be reserved for women lawyers, orders the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The decision was followed by similar decisions made in other bar associations, including the Delhi High Court Bar Association and Supreme Court Bar Association.

The bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan recommended implementing last year's direction by DHCBA for reserving seats for women lawyers in tax bar associations in the national capital.

The top court has directed a 33 per cent reservation of seats for women in Bangalore bar associations, similar to the DHCBA. The court also suggested that women lawyers should get 33 per cent reserved seats in the National Green Tribunal bar association election.

The SC has directed the DHCBA to reserve three posts for women lawyers in the DHCBA election, including the treasurer and 30 per cent of other executive committee posts, and to reserve another post in the association's office-bearer body.

The bench directed, "The general body of the bar association shall consider to reserve the post of the treasurer exclusively for the women members of the bar association."

The SC earlier directed "Similarly, out of the 10 executive members, there shall be at least three women members. The general body may also resolve that out of the three women members of the executive committee, one at least will be a senior designated advocate."