Supreme Court Issues Notice on Plea Seeking One-Third Reservation for Women in State Bar Councils

The Supreme Court issued notice on a public interest petition seeking one-third reservation for women in all State Bar Councils across India and mandating at least one woman office-bearer in rotation.

The plea contended that the absence of adequate female representation in Bar Councils violates Articles 14, 15, 16, and 21 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality and prohibit gender-based discrimination.

The Court highlighted that only 9 of 441 elected Bar Council members nationwide are women, with several State Councils lacking any female representation.

The Bench directed the issuance of notice to the Bar Council of India and scheduled the matter for further hearing on November 17, 2025.