BCI Keeps Women Co-Option in Abeyance, Kerala HC Seeks Clarification

The Kerala High Court on Friday asked whether the Supreme Court had ordered a halt to State Bar Council meetings until the co-option of women members, livelaw.in reports. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas made the query while hearing pleas seeking a declaration that the new Council is validly elected and a direction to convene its meeting. The Bar Council's counsel said no such direction exists.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) had on August 12 kept in abeyance its earlier communication directing State Bar Councils to prepare a panel of four women members for co-option, according to livelaw.in. The BCI said proceeding with the identification might be premature as election-related issues are pending before the High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee. The BCI noted the Supreme Court's August 4 order in Yogamaya M.G. v. Union of India, which requested Chief Justices to select two women members.

The matter is now listed for further hearing on Tuesday (August 18). The BCI has instructed councils to take no further action on the earlier communication while it remains in abeyance.