Not A Single Woman President Since 1962 : Supreme Court Suggests Reserving Vice-President Post For Women Lawyers In Upcoming Delhi HC Bar Elections

The Supreme Court today suggested the Delhi High Court Bar Association to consider reserving the Vice-President post for women lawyers in the upcoming bar elections. While making the suggestion, the Court lamented that there hasn't been even a single woman President of the Bar since 1962.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan was dealing with pleas seeking reservation for women lawyers in Delhi's Bar bodies, when it asked Senior Advocate Vikas Singh (appearing for DHCBA) to come up with instructions tomorrow. The Delhi Bar elections are scheduled for 19 October.

"We would like you people to show the grace and suggest us two posts out of which one we think can be reserved...we will have to promote...the only disappointing feature was...when they pointed out that...since 1962, a woman President has not been elected. We are in 2024. So let's begin with some happy note. That can be Vice-President. Let's take a chance. If you come up tomorrow with this, we would really appreciate", said Justice Kant to Singh.

It was clarified that the bench was seeking instructions only with regard to the upcoming elections of the Delhi High Court Bar. "For this election, as an ad-hoc measure, we are suggesting Vice-President. For future, you will resolve yourself", said Justice Kant.

The Court was dealing with two petitions seeking 33% reservation for women lawyers in Delhi's lawyer bodies viz. Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and all District Bar Associations.

One of the petitions was filed by Advocate Shobha Gupta, who contends that under­ representation of women in effective posts in BCD and other Bar associations can negatively affect their rights and access to justice as well as detract from the justice system's overall effectiveness.

Specifically seeking directions for 33% reservation in the upcoming Bar Council elections of all Advocate Bars in Delhi, Gupta initially approached the Delhi High Court. But on September 11, the High Court refused to grant interim relief and listed the matter for November 27.

As the Delhi Bar elections are scheduled to be held on October 19, and no interim relief was granted, the petitioners prayers were seemingly rendered infructuous. In this backdrop, the present pleas were filed before the Supreme Court, asserting that process of the elections has commenced with declaration/finalizing voter list.

Notice was issued on the petitions on September 20.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had directed the implementation of 33% women reservation in SCBA elections.

Case Title:

(1) ADITI CHAUDHARY Versus BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI AND ORS., Diary No. 42332-2024

(2) SHOBHA GUPTA AND ANR. Versus BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI AND ORS., Diary No. 42644-2024