New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) justice Surya Kant on Saturday called for a major push toward gender equality in the legal profession, urging that at least 50 per cent of empanelments for govt counsels and legal aid counsels be reserved for women advocates. The CJI made the remarks during a panel discussion on “Inclusive Institutions for Democratic Justice: The Women in the Legal Profession” at the 1st SCBA National Conference 2026, titled “Reimagining Judicial Governance: Strengthening Institutions for Democratic Justice,” held in Bengaluru.The two-day conference was organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association and attended by judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, along with legal professionals.
Justice Surya Kant emphasised that achieving gender equality in the legal profession first requires identifying structural barriers that hinder women’s long-term participation. He highlighted challenges such as irregular working hours, lack of trust from litigants and insufficient financial support from senior advocates as key reasons many women struggle to sustain careers in law.
To address these challenges, he proposed quickly implementable measures like ensuring at least 50% representation of women in government empanelments and legal aid panels. agencies
