Bengaluru: “We won’t permit these (bar) associations to be men’s clubs for long,” Karnataka high court observed Friday while hearing a petition moved by women advocates of Tumakuru District Advocates Association seeking implementation of 33% reservation for women in the upcoming elections.
The oral comment was made by Justice M Nagaprasanna. Referring to a recent Supreme Court directive mandating that the treasurer position should be reserved for women candidates in the Advocates Association of Bengaluru (AAB), the judge added that other associations should also embrace progress and not resist change.
“Old men’s club should give way to women now. They were in this throughout. They are equal; in fact, let them be equal in law. Election was declared in the case of AAB, but the SC stayed it and gave direction. Actions should speak louder than words, bring in something like this. I, for one, believe that yes, there should be representation of women everywhere. Everywhere to the percentage that is necessary. This was fought in the panchayat raj also,” the judge said. “Only when financial powers are given to women like a family that will be in control, everyone will be in control. It was given to men all these days, and you finished everything,” the judge added, adjourning the hearing to Monday.
The main grievance of the petitioners is that their representations to the election officer and Tumakuru Bar Association president to reserve 33% of existing posts for women haven’t been considered favourably. They argued that the association has failed to uphold constitutional values and progressive principles. The rejection, citing the current committee’s lack of authority and time constraints, was deemed unreasonable.
The Tumakuru District Advocates Association rejected their request, citing their 1960 bylaws, which already reserve one executive committee post for women. The association maintained that such decisions required a committee meeting, which the current committee lacked authority to convene, citing insufficient time.