Supreme Court Issues Notice on PIL Seeking 30% Representation for Women Advocates in Government Legal Appointments

The Supreme Court of India, inLadli Foundation Trust v. Union of India & Ors., has issued notice to the Union of India, key Central Ministries, and all States and Union Territories on a Public Interest Litigation seeking structural reforms to address the persistent underrepresentation of women advocates in government legal appointments.

The petition seeks directions for the implementation of a minimum 30% horizontal reservation/representation for women advocates across Government Legal Panels, Law Officer positions, empanelments of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), statutory bodies, and Legal Aid institutions nationwide. Relying upon the constitutional principles of substantive equality embodied in Articles 14, 15(3), 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution of India, the matter seeks to translate the vision of gender-inclusive governance into the legal ecosystem and public institutions.
The proceedings represent a significant step towards advancing gender parity within legal representation and may shape the future framework governing appointments to government legal panels and public legal offices across India.
Foresight Law Offices India represented the Petitioner before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
The matter was handled by Adv. Varun Singh, Founder & Managing Partner, Ms. Kajal Gupta, Senior Associate, and Mr. Arun Sidhant, Associate.