The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Delhi Bar Council and bar associations across the national capital on petitions seeking 33 percent reservation for women in different bar bodies operating in the national capital.
The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan passed the order on Friday on two petitions seeking directions to all district bar associations in Delhi to implement 33 percent reservation for women in all Bar elections and another seeking reservation for women in the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA).
On September 11, the High Court had refused to pass any interim orders in the matter, prompting the petitioners to move the Apex Court.
Appearing for one of the petitioners, Advocate Swati Jindal Garg pointed out that the High Court had adjourned the case to November 27 and the prayers would become infructuous by then.
She said while women were entering the (legal) profession, they were progressing slowly into senior positions due to ineffective representation in key posts of the Bar Council and Bar association.
Advocate Garg submitted that reservation was needed to check on the exploitation of exclusive power by its members, which was right now the need of the hour in a male-dominated profession.
The first petition was filed by Advocate Shobha Gupta and her daughter.
The second plea seeking reservation in DHCBA was filed by Advocate Aditi Chaudhary through Advocate Sunieta Ojha and drawn by Advocate Harshita Singhal.
The Bench issued notice on both the petitions and tagged them.