BCI Directs State Bar Councils to Convene on August 16, Constitute Panel of Four Women Advocates for Co-Option
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
Move follows Supreme Court’s directive permitting High Court Chief Justices to nominate women members to State Bar Councils
Delhi,11, August,2026- In furtherance of the Supreme Court’s recent pronouncement on gender representation within State Bar Councils, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has directed the elected members of every State Bar Council to convene consultative sessions on August 16, with a view to jointly recommending a panel of four eligible women advocates for consideration.
The directive, communicated through BCI Principal Secretary Srimanto Sen, draws its authority from the Supreme Court’s order dated August 4 in Yogmaya M.G. v. Union of India & Ors.
By that order, the Court empowered the Chief Justices of the respective High Courts to co-opt two women members onto their State Bar Councils, to be drawn either from the ranks of former High Court judges or from senior women members of the Bar.
“Therefore, in light of the Order dated 04.08.2026, the elected members of the respective State Bar Councils are requested to hold a meeting on 16.08.2026 (Sunday) for the limited purpose of consultation concerning the proposed co-option of women members and deliberate upon suitable names of eligible women Advocates who may be considered for co-option in the concerned State Bar Council.
While considering such names, the elected members may have due regard to professional standing, seniority, integrity, experience, geographical and regional representation, and the desirability of ensuring representation from areas presently not adequately represented in the Council, consistently with the parameters indicated by the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
Pursuant to the BCI’s communication, elected members of each State Bar Council are called upon to deliberate collectively and arrive at a panel of four suitably qualified women advocates.
Once finalised, this panel together with a record of the deliberations and, where the members deem it appropriate, their individual observations are to be transmitted by the Secretary of the concerned State Bar Council to the Chief Justice of the corresponding High Court for further consideration.
In identifying suitable candidates, the BCI has instructed that due weight be accorded to professional standing, seniority at the Bar, integrity, and relevant experience, alongside considerations of geographical and regional balance.
“To ensure a fair and efficient co-option process, this exercise should be completed expeditiously.
The Secretary of each State Bar Council is instructed and requested to place this communication before all elected members immediately and to facilitate convening of the meeting on 16.08.2026 and prompt communication”
Members have further been urged to remain mindful of the need to draw representation from regions currently under-represented on the State Bar Council, in keeping with the criteria laid down by the Supreme Court.
