Women Bar Council Candidates Seek Recall of SC Order on Co-option Mechanism

Two women candidates who secured the sixth and seventh positions in recent Bar Council elections have approached the Chief Justice of India seeking recall of a Supreme Court order dated August 4, 2026, concerning the mechanism for filling the remaining 10% women's representation through co-option.

The candidates contend that the Court's order was passed without giving them an effective opportunity to be heard on the proposed co-option mechanism and its consequences. They argue that their electoral positions were directly relevant to determining a fair and objective process.

The Supreme Court had previously directed women's representation in Bar Councils and tasked a High-Powered Supervisory Committee with determining the mechanism for remaining representation through co-option. The Committee consulted candidates and stakeholders before submitting its recommendations in a sealed cover. The applicants contend they had a legitimate expectation that these materials would be considered before the final mechanism was prescribed.