Supreme Court Signals 30% Women’s Quota in State Bar Councils; Seeks BCI Notification

The Supreme Court on Thursday said that it expects the Bar Council of India (BCI) to ensure 30% reservation for women in the upcoming State Bar Council elections. The observation came while the Court was hearing petitions seeking compulsory women’s representation in these bodies.

The matter was mentioned by Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta on behalf of petitioner Yogamaya in Shehla Chaudhary v. Union of India.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Gurukumar, appearing for the BCI, submitted that introducing such reservation would need amendments to the Advocates Act. He added that several State Bar Council election processes had already begun, which made immediate changes difficult.

However, the Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made it clear that the BCI is expected to interpret its rules in a way that ensures at least 30% representation for women in State Bar Councils, including some office-bearer posts.

“We expect that the BCI will construe the rules in such a manner that it will ensure 30% reservation in State Bar Councils; such a position should also be available for some posts of office bearers,” the CJI said.

When the BCI said it was unsure whether enough women lawyers would contest, the CJI referred to insights from a recent Supreme Court Bar Association workshop. He pointed out that 83% of women lawyers surveyed expressed interest in becoming SCBA members, showing strong willingness among women to take up leadership roles.

Senior Advocate Gurukumar also referred to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s views that institutional change often takes time. In response, the CJI said the Court’s oversight in this case would act as a continuous mandamus, ensuring steady progress.

The Court directed the BCI to issue a notification by Monday, signalling that it expects concrete steps toward implementing women’s reservation.

The petitions, filed by Yogamaya MG and Advocate Shehla Chaudhary, seek one-third reservation for women in all State Bar Councils across India, including at least one office-bearer position on a rotational basis. The petition also relies on the Supreme Court’s earlier order dated May 2, 2024, which mandated one-third reservation for women in the SCBA Executive Committee.

Case No.: W.P.(C) No. 1060/2025
Case Title: Shehla Chaudhary v. Union of India