New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked to consider reservation for women for the posts in the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan’s direction came when it was dealing with a plea demanding women’s reservation for the post of Delhi High Court Bar Association.
The top directed DHCBA to hold a meeting and consider reserving the post of Treasurer for women members in the bar association of Delhi High Court.
Apart from Treasurer for women members in the bar association of Delhi High Court, the General Body of the bar may also consider one more post of office bearer in the association.
The court was hearing two petitions, one filed by advocate Aditi Chaudhary and the other by advocate Shobha Gupta, challenging the Delhi High Court order dated September 11, 2024, whereby they sought adequate representation of women advocates in Bar Associations of Delhi.
Senior Advocate Meenakshi Arora appeared for the petitioner, Aditi Chaudhary, along with advocates Sunieta Ojha, Sitwat Nabi, Talish Ray Harshita Singhal, Zeba Khair Vasudha and Divita, Senior Advocate Mohit Mathur appeared for the DHCBA.
Delhi High Court on September 11, 2024 declined to grant any interim relief and the matter has now been adjourned for November 27, 2024.
According to the petition, the elections for the Delhi High Court Bar Association is to be held on October 19, 2024 and the process of the election has commenced with declarations/finalising the voter list.
“As a matter of fact, and as per the information displayed in the website of DHCBA, there has not been a single women president or secretary for the year 1962 till date,” the petition said.
The petition highlighted that the top court, which passed on May 2, 2024, said that in the Supreme Court Bar Association, out of 9 seats, i.e. 1/3rd seats in Executive Committee, 2 out of 6 seats, i.e. 1/3rd in Senior Executive Members and 1 post of Office Bearer, on rotation basis
Were reserved for women members of the Bar.
For the Election 2024-25, the seat of Treasurer was reserved for women candidates.