Supreme Court Directs BCI to Implement 30% Women’s Reservation in State Bar Council Elections

The Supreme Court has mandated the Bar Council of India (BCI) to ensure a minimum of 30% reservation for women in State Bar Council elections as well as in posts of office-bearers.

This direction, issued while hearing petitions filed by Supreme Court lawyers Yogamaya MG and Shehla Chaudhary, comes in response to the severe underrepresentation of women in Bar Council governance across India.

The Court underscored that the BCI must proactively implement this mandate, clarifying that the existing rules will be deemed amended to incorporate such a reservation. 

Yogamaya’s petition specifically sought one-third reservation for women in all State Bar Councils and at least one woman office-bearer on a rotational basis.

[Yogamaya MG v. UOI]