The Supreme Court has mandated that all district bar associations in Karnataka must reserve the position of Treasurer and 30% of Executive Committee or Governing Council posts exclusively for women lawyers. This move aims to promote gender equality and ensure greater representation of women in legal associations across the state.

The directive was issued by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh. The order extends the same reservation policy that was previously applied to the Advocates' Association Bengaluru to all district bar associations in Karnataka.

Highlighting the importance of gender inclusivity in the legal profession, Justice Surya Kant remarked:

"We want this movement to spread all over India."

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The court explicitly stated:

"We accordingly direct that the directions contained in our order dated 28.01.2025 in respect of Advocates' Association Bengaluru shall apply mutatis mutandis in the matter of elections of the district bar associations in the entire state of Karnataka. All the district bar associations are accordingly directed to earmark the post of Treasurer exclusively for women candidates and reserve 30% of the posts of Councilors/members of the Executive Committee exclusively for women candidates as was directed in the case of Advocates' Association Bengaluru."

The Supreme Court also emphasized the need for proper implementation of this order. It has instructed that after conducting elections, each district bar association must submit a compliance report to the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court. The Registrar General, in turn, must compile all reports and submit a comprehensive compliance report to the Supreme Court.

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During the hearing, the Court was informed about a recent order passed by the Karnataka High Court regarding the Tumakuru District Advocates Association. A single bench of the High Court had directed the association to create one Treasurer post and two Executive Committee positions for women lawyers in their upcoming elections.

Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari, representing the Karnataka Federation of Women Lawyers, updated the Court on the progress made in implementing these reservations. She noted that women lawyers had already secured the Treasurer post along with 30% Executive Committee representation in the High Court Bar Association. However, district bar associations were yet to fully implement these changes, as elections were still pending in many places.

Case Title: DEEKSHA N AMRUTHESH Versus STATE OF KARNATAKA AND ORS., SLP(C) No. 1404/2025 (and connected cases)