Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice on a petition demanding 33 percent women’s reservation in the Delhi Bar Association. Let us tell you that the court was hearing two petitions, one of which sought directions to all District Bar Associations of Delhi to implement 33 percent reservation for women. Another petition sought reservation for women in the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Delhi Bar Council and the capital’s bar association on petitions seeking 33 per cent reservation for women in Delhi’s bar institutions.
Next hearing on 25th September
A bench of Justices Suryakant and Ujjal Bhuya said it will next hear the case on September 25. However, one of the party’s lawyers sought a shorter date as campaigning for the bar election was already underway. But Justice Bhuiya remarked that why should there be publicity? Let the lawyers vote according to their discretion?
Giving his opinion on this, Justice Suryakant said that in another case we have also highlighted how much is spent on bar elections. He said that if lawyers also do this, what will be the future of litigation in this country?
33 percent reservation for women
The bench was hearing two petitions, one seeking a direction to all district bar associations in Delhi to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in all elections. Another was demanding reservation for women in the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA). The first petition was filed by advocate Shobha Gupta and her daughter.
The Delhi High Court had on September 11 refused to grant any interim order in the case, following which an appeal was filed in the Supreme Court.
Women joining the legal profession
A petition filed by lawyer Swati Jindal Garg said that the High Court has adjourned the hearing of the case till November 27. Women are entering the legal profession, slowly reaching senior positions due to ineffective representation in key positions in Bar Councils and Bar Associations.
Notice issued on both the petitions
The application regarding reservation in DHCBA was filed by Advocate Aditi Chaudhary through Advocate Sunita Ojha and prepared by Advocate Harshita Singhal. The bench issued notices on both the petitions and tagged them. The elections to the Delhi Bar Council and all Bar Associations of the capital are scheduled to be held on October 19 this year. The Supreme Court had recently stayed the Delhi High Court’s directive, which said that no candidate would be allowed to contest for two posts simultaneously on the same seat.
