Delhi tax bar bodies: SC reserves treasurer post for women lawyers, 30% seats in executive panel

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed reserving the treasurer's post and 30 per cent seats for women lawyers in the executive committee of Delhi Sales Tax Bar Association and Delhi Tax Bar Association. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan said its last year's direction in case of Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and district bar associations for reserving seats for women lawyers should be followed in the tax bar associations in the national capital as well.

In another matter, the top court issued notice on a plea seeking reserving 33 per cent seats for women in Bangalore bar associations akin to the DHCBA.

On January 20, the top court directed 33 per cent seats would be reserved for women lawyers in the election of the National Green Tribunal bar association.


On December 18 last year, the top court directed reserving three posts for women lawyers in the DHCBA election.

It also said in the district bar association elections, the post of treasurer plus 30 per cent of other executive committee posts should stand reserved for women lawyers (including those already reserved for women).

On September 26 last year, the apex court directed the DHCBA to have the post of treasurer reserved for women, besides another post in the five-member office-bearer body of the association.

"The general body of the bar association shall consider to reserve the post of the treasurer exclusively for the women members of the bar association," it directed.

In addition to reserving the post of treasurer for women members, the general body should also be free to consider the desirability of reserving one more post of the office-bearer for women members of the bar association, it said.

"Similarly, out of the 10 executive members, there shall be at least three women members. The general body may also resolve that out of the three women members of the executive committee, one at least will be a senior designated advocate," the top court previously directed.

On May 2 last year, in an order aimed at increasing the representation of women at the bar, the court had directed a 33 per cent reservation in the executive committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association for women lawyers.