Sultanpur Bar’s Leadership Gets a 30% Women’s Quota”

Lucknow, Women advocates are set to have a larger presence in the leadership of the Sultanpur Bar Association after the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court directed the association to provide 30% reservation for women in its executive committee and governing council. The court has also ordered that key posts be allotted to women candidates by rotation in successive elections, marking a significant intervention in the way the association’s leadership is constituted. The directions were issued on August 25 by a division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjive Shukla while dealing with a PIL over the implementation of the Supreme Court’s directions in Deeksha N. Amruthesh v. State of Karnataka. The High Court referred to the Supreme Court’s direction that 30% of posts in bar associations should be reserved for women, whether in the executive body or governing council. The PIL was filed by Shashi Mishra, a practising advocate and member of the Sultanpur Bar Association, who approached the court after alleging that the association had proceeded with elections without making the required provision for women’s reservation. The court has also laid down a firm schedule for completing the election process. The Elders’ Committee has been directed to announce the election schedule within three days and conduct the elections within three weeks from the date of its announcement. Responsibility for conducting the polls now rests with the committee. The court made it clear that interference from outgoing office-bearers would not be tolerated and warned that such conduct would amount to an “affront and contempt of the court”, potentially inviting contempt proceedings. The High Court has simultaneously sought greater disclosure from those seeking to contest the elections. Candidates will have to declare details of FIRs and criminal cases lodged or filed against them, together with the outcomes, irrespective of whether the proceedings are pending or have already ended. The information must be accessible to voters, while candidates will be permitted to provide their comments or explanations concerning the cases. The court further said that withholding or incorrectly presenting such information could be considered grounds for cancelling a candidature or election. It also directed that provisions covering these disclosures be incorporated into the nomination forms. The directions therefore place two issues at the centre of the Sultanpur Bar elections—wider representation for women and greater transparency from candidates.