New Delhi, Jun 15 The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated that the Bar Council of India's (BCI) proposal to fill a 10 per cent co-option component for women lawyers in the executive committee of State Bar Councils by inducting the highest-polling unsuccessful women candidates appeared to be "fair".
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice V Mohana directed the BCI to evolve a final mechanism after consulting all the stakeholders.
The top court was hearing matters relating to the implementation of its earlier directions aimed at ensuring 30 per cent effective representation for women lawyers in executive committees of the State Bar Councils.
During the hearing, the top court was informed that elections in most State Bar Councils have already been completed and results declared, with the only unresolved issue being the manner in which the 10 per cent co-option seats for women lawyers were to be filled.
CJI Kant told the counsels that the BCI had suggested a mechanism which appears to be a reasonable proposal.
"The BCI has come with a fair suggestion that the unsuccessful candidates who secured the maximum votes can be co-opted," the CJI remarked.
The bench asked Advocate Radhika Gautam, representing the BCI, to formulate a uniform, fair and transparent criteria for co-option after consulting newly elected State Bar Council members and other stakeholders.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on July 15 and asked the BCI to submit the proposal before it by July 14.
The top court had earlier directed 30 per cent representation for women lawyers in executive committees of the State Bar Councils and the Bar Council of India. It had said 20 per cent of total seats in executive committees are to be reserved for women through direct election, while an additional 10 per cent are to be filled through co-option.
The BCI had proposed that co-option should be based on electoral performance, with seats being offered to women candidates who contested the elections but narrowly missed getting elected, while securing the highest votes among unsuccessful candidates.
