The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed May 20 as the date for conducting elections to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and directed that the post of Secretary be “exclusively reserved for women lawyers.” This decision, the court emphasized, is in addition to the already mandated one-third reservation for women in the SCBA Executive Committee.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh clarified that the polls would be held on the basis of the finalised voter list of 2024. Lawyers who attained eligibility as of February 28, 2025, will be included in the electoral roll.
The court added that counting of votes will begin immediately after polling ends, and results will be declared on May 21.
In a step toward transparency and institutional reform, the bench also directed that the report submitted by former Supreme Court judge Justice L. Nageswara Rao—who was appointed to recommend amendments to the SCBA bye-laws—be uploaded on the association’s official website. While legal challenges to the report will not be entertained, the court encouraged members to provide constructive suggestions.
However, the bench clarified that it may not be feasible to implement the recommendations in the upcoming election, given that the current Executive Committee’s tenure ends on May 19.
“For this election, we can continue as per the past practice. But for future polls, we need assistance on why SCBA elections cannot be held on the same day as those of the High Courts and district courts,” Justice Surya Kant observed.
The Supreme Court had, for the first time last year, mandated one-third reservation for women lawyers in bar association elections—a move that has since been mirrored by bar associations of the Delhi High Court, various district courts in Delhi, and bar bodies in Bengaluru and other parts of the country.
