With three seats in hand, women eye reforms in Delhi HC

The Supreme Court’s December 19, 2024, order, issued by a bench led by justice Surya Kant, introduced reservations for three posts — treasurer, member executive (designated senior advocate), and member executive (25 years of standing) — on an experimental basis

For the first time in its history, the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) executive committee elections, scheduled for Friday, will witness a watershed moment — women candidates contesting for posts reserved exclusively for them. As social media buzzes with campaign reels, women candidates running under the Supreme Court-mandated quota are promising real change.

With the Supreme Court’s ruling paving the way for greater gender representation, this election marks a turning point for DHCBA. (FILE)

The Supreme Court’s December 19, 2024, order, issued by a bench led by justice Surya Kant, introduced reservations for three posts — treasurer, member executive (designated senior advocate), and member executive (25 years of standing) — on an experimental basis. The decision followed a plea by three women lawyers, Fozia Rehman, Aditi Chaudhary, and Shobha Gupta.

The women candidates vying for these positions are focusing on better facilities, inclusivity, and structural reforms.

Advocate Zeba Khair, running for treasurer, aims to ensure inclusivity in bar fund allocation. She plans to expand the Delhi high court’s creche, addressing challenges faced by women lawyers with small children. “The treasurer must have a say in fund allocation, ensuring it benefits all members inclusively,” she said. She also stressed accessibility issues, particularly for differently-abled lawyers.

“The creche needs further development to ease difficulties for women lawyers,” she added.

Advocate Nandita Abrol, running for member executive, wants to improve existing facilities in the women’s bar room and advocate for maternity benefits for women lawyers.

“Women should receive remuneration post-childbirth. I will advocate for this,” she said, calling the Supreme Court’s ruling a “good step forward.”

The decision has sparked discussions across the legal fraternity. All four male presidential candidates—senior advocates Kirti Uppal, Abhijat Bal, N Hariharan, and Vivek Sood—have welcomed the move, agreeing that greater representation will bring fresh perspectives to the executive committee and help level the playing field.

“This has been a long time coming. When I joined in 1986, the profession was overwhelmingly male-dominated. This reservation will boost morale, but I also believe that all lawyers — male or female — should meet a certain bar of practice without discrimination,” Uppal said.

Sood highlighted the lack of women in DHCBA leadership. “We have not had a single female president or even a vice president in the last 50-60 years. The statistics justify the need for some reservation for some time,” he said.

Hariharan and Abhijat echoed similar views, acknowledging the unique challenges women lawyers face. “Women are part of us. What’s the harm in granting reservation?” Hariharan asked. Abhijat added, “Let’s see this as an experiment. Women lawyers often face family constraints, and if reservation helps, I see no issue.”

This election has also seen a shift in campaign strategies, with candidates using Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp groups to engage voters. Digital flyers and campaign reels have taken the contest beyond the court’s corridors into the digital sphere.

With the Supreme Court’s ruling paving the way for greater gender representation, this election marks a turning point for DHCBA. Whether the experiment succeeds or not, 2024 will be remembered as the year women lawyers finally secured a seat at the table — and they intend to use it to drive real change.