Supreme Court of India orders co‑option of women to State Bar Councils

The Supreme Court of India directed that every State Bar Council co‑opt two women members. The nominees must be either former women judges of the jurisdictional High Court or senior women advocates with a fair standing in the state, and the Chief Justice of the respective High Court will make the nominations, taking regional representation and state‑specific circumstances into account.

The Court emphasized that an unsuccessful candidate in Bar Council elections is not disqualified from co‑option and urged all Chief Justices to complete the nomination process promptly so that the Councils and their Executive Committees can be formally constituted. It also asked the High‑Powered Committee headed by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to revisit divergent views on the single transferable vote system used in the elections.

These measures aim to ensure objectivity, independence and transparency in the functioning of State Bar Councils while advancing women’s representation in the legal profession.