The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice on a public interest petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) seeking a series of institutional reforms and welfare measures to address systemic barriers faced by women advocates across the country.

The petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, seeks directions to the Union of India, States and other authorities to implement structural measures aimed at ensuring equal opportunities, institutional support and greater representation for women in the legal profession.

The plea relies extensively on the findings of the SCBA’s National Survey: “Documenting Voices of Women Legal Professionals in India”, which gathered over 2,600 responses from women legal professionals across the country. According to the petition, the survey revealed persistent challenges including gender-based discrimination in work allocation, lack of mentorship, inadequate maternity support, barriers to professional advancement and underrepresentation in leadership positions.

Among the principal reforms sought are:

● Equal access to work allocation, briefing and empanelment;

● Minimum representation of women on government panels, Bar leadership and in judicial appointments;

● Structured mentorship programmes;

● Maternity and returnship policies;

● Childcare infrastructure in courts;

● Effective implementation of POSH mechanisms; and

● Institutional reforms in Bar Councils and judicial appointment processes.

The petition also places reliance on an earlier Supreme Court order in Yogamaya M.G. v. Union of India, wherein the Court had expected the Bar Council of India to interpret its framework to ensure 30% representation of women in State Bar Councils. It contends that the findings of the national survey underscore the need for comprehensive judicial intervention to translate constitutional guarantees of equality into meaningful institutional reforms.

Issuing notice on the petition, the Supreme Court sought responses from the respondents.