Supreme Court Seeks Response On Plea For 30% Reservation For Women Lawyers

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre, states and Union Territories to respond to a public interest litigation that calls for at least 30 per cent reservation for women advocates in government legal panels and law officer appointments nationwide.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, took note of the submissions during a brief hearing and decided to list the matter for further consideration next week.

Senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association President Vikas Singh highlighted findings from a recent survey, pointing out the difficulties faced by women in the legal profession. He urged the court to ensure their inclusion in government panels, stating, “This is pursuant to the SCBA survey on women in the legal profession. They need to be included in government panels.”

The plea, filed by Ladli Foundation Trust, seeks directions to enforce a minimum 30 per cent quota for women across High Court panels, law officer posts and legal teams representing Central and State governments, including public sector undertakings.

According to the petition, government legal panels play a crucial role in representing the state before courts and tribunals, and therefore must uphold constitutional values of equality and fair representation.

The plea stresses that women remain inadequately represented in such roles.

Referring to data, the plea notes, “The process of empanelment to such positions must reflect the constitutional mandate of equality and inclusivity.”

It further reveals that women account for only around 25.3 per cent of panel lawyers in major states, with some regions showing even lower participation.

What the SCBA Survey Revealed

Drawing on a nationwide survey conducted by the Supreme Court Bar Association, the petition indicates that a majority of women advocates believe government panel appointments tend to favour men. It also underlines the absence of women in top legal offices such as the Attorney General and Solicitor General of India since Independence.

The plea refers to recent directions by the Supreme Court supporting reservation for women in bar association governing bodies and argues that similar measures are both necessary and constitutionally valid in government legal appointments. It adds that exclusion from such panels limits career growth, visibility and leadership opportunities for women lawyers.

Alongside Vikas Singh, advocates Varun Singh and Mudit Gupta represented the petitioner during the proceedings.

Also Read: SC Says Right To Life Includes Freedom From Fear Of Dog Attacks