Plea before Supreme Court seeks 33% reservation for women in Gujarat bar bodies

A plea has been filed before the the Supreme Court seeking 33 percent reservation for women in bar associations across Gujarat..A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued notice on the plea and listed the matter for hearing in January 2025. .When the matter was heard on December 17, the Court questioned why advocate Meena Jagtap had engaged a male lawyer to argue her case and had sought her presence.During the hearing today, advocate Jagtap candidly explained her challenges, including her limited proficiency in English and lack of experience in higher courts. She also emphasized her responsibilities as the head of an NGO for destitute individuals.The Court expressed admiration for the multiple roles women often balance, such as being homemakers, educators, and professionals.The Court also encouraged Jagtap to appear more frequently before the High Court."We feel proud as women in our country shoulder so many responsibilities.. like homemaker, teacher, lawyers, and so much more, Why don't you appear more in High Court ..you must. anyways you can approach High Court as well," the Court said.Jagtap pointed out that her earlier request to the High Court had not been successful, as the number of women bar members remained very low.Acknowledging the concerns raised, the Supreme Court decided to issue notice and listed the matter for hearing in the third or fourth week of January 2025..Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.