In a landmark decision to enhance gender representation, the Supreme Court on Wednesday mandated the reservation of the treasurer’s post and 30% of the seats in the executive committee for women lawyers within the Delhi Sales Tax Bar Association and the Delhi Tax Bar Association. The directive, issued by a bench consisting of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan, aligns with the court’s previous rulings aimed at bolstering women’s participation in legal association leadership roles.
This decision follows the court’s consistent push for greater female representation, mirroring last year’s directive to the Delhi High Court Bar Association and various district bar associations. The Supreme Court’s commitment to gender equity in the legal field is evident in its series of decisions over the past year, which includes a similar reservation for the National Green Tribunal Bar Association and multiple mandates across different bar associations.
In a related move, the top court also issued a notice concerning a plea to reserve 33% of the seats for women in Bengaluru bar associations, similar to those in the Delhi High Court Bar Association, showcasing a national drive towards inclusivity in the legal sector.
These directives are part of a broader judicial trend emphasizing the importance of women’s roles in legal governance. For instance, the Supreme Court had previously specified that in addition to the treasurer, another post in the five-member office-bearer body of the Delhi High Court Bar Association should be reserved for women. This stipulation was accompanied by a broader directive that three out of ten executive members of these associations must be women, with at least one being a senior designated advocate.
