The Supreme Court has issued notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) seeking a series of structural reforms aimed at promoting gender equality, improving working conditions for women advocates and providing financial support to junior lawyers across the country.
The three-judge Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana issued notice to the Union of India and other respondents and tagged the matter with a connected petition raising similar issues.
The petition sought directions to ensure adequate representation of women advocates on government panels and in law officer appointments, equal opportunities in retainerships and empanelment processes, institutional caregiving support, including childcare facilities, and the introduction of a minimum stipend for junior advocates during the initial years of legal practice.
The SCBA has contended that despite constitutional guarantees of equality under Articles 14, 15 and 16, women advocates continue to face structural and institutional barriers that adversely affect their ability to practise law on an equal footing with their male counterparts. The petition further submits that the absence of financial security, equitable professional opportunities and adequate caregiving infrastructure disproportionately impacts women lawyers and discourages their long-term participation in the legal profession.
The plea also highlights the challenges faced by junior advocates, particularly first-generation lawyers, who often struggle due to the absence of a minimum financial support mechanism during the early years of practice. It seeks policy measures to ensure dignified working conditions and improve access to the legal profession.
The matter assumes significance in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s continuing efforts to reform the functioning of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
Earlier, on July 15, while dealing with applications relating to the implementation of its judgment dated May 29, 2026, in Supreme Court Bar Association v. B.D. Kaushik & Anr., the Supreme Court clarified that the electoral reforms recommended by the Justice L. Nageswara Rao Committee would not apply to the SCBA elections for the 2026-27 term.
The Court noted that the electoral roll for the 2026-27 elections had already been finalised on May 26, 2026, with February 28, 2026, fixed as the cut-off date for determining the eligibility of voters and candidates. Since the electoral roll had been finalised before the judgment directing electoral reforms was delivered on May 29, the Court held that the reforms could only be implemented prospectively.
Accepting the consensus among members of the Bar, the Court directed that the 2026-27 SCBA elections would be conducted under the existing election rules, while all reforms recommended by the Justice L. Nageswara Rao Committee, except the preparation of a fresh electoral roll, should be implemented by December 31, 2026.
To facilitate the implementation of the reforms, the Court constituted a five-member Election Committee under the chairmanship of Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta.
The Committee was directed to continue functioning even after the conclusion of the 2026-27 elections and oversee the implementation of the approved reforms, including the preparation and finalisation of the electoral roll for the 2027-28 election cycle.
The Court further directed that the election schedule for the 2026-27 term be notified so that polling is held around August 18, 2026, and the newly elected Executive Committee assumes office on or before August 21, 2026.
While the July 15 order primarily addressed electoral governance and institutional reforms within the SCBA, the present petition raises broader issues relating to gender equality, professional inclusion, financial security for young lawyers and the creation of an enabling environment for women advocates.
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