'Enough is Enough': SC Tells Lawyer Over Comment on Number of Women Judges in Apex Court

New Delhi: "Enough is enough. Don't mess with court," an irked Supreme Court on Monday said after a lawyer claimed that vocates in Delhi High Court have questioned lack of equate representation of women judges in top court.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a batch of pleas seeking 33 per cent reservation of seats for women lawyers in Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA).

During hearing, an vocate appearing in matter said lawyers at high court were asking how many women judges re are in Supreme Court.

Justice Surya Kant said, "If you are to play to gallery by saying all se things, n please do. Say it 10 times.

"You are ding fuel to fire. Let media hear it. Don't mess with court. Enough is enough. Patic. This is not way bar conducts itself," he said.

annoyed bench refused to hear any furr explanation from bar body.

"We won't hear anything. Now, we will go into larger issue of matter and decide issue finally," it said.

bench fixed November 29 for final arguments and said judgment on issue will be pronounced reafter in three days.

top court saw video clips submitted by senior vocate and DHCBA president Mohit Mathur on deliberations over issue of 33 per cent reservation in bar body that took place at general body meeting.

It noted that eight video clips were submitted on deliberations that took place at general body meeting of DHCBA, out of which only three were relevant.

counsel for petitioners said DHCBA, despite express direction of top court, is offering a post of joint treasurer which is only a "ceremonial post".

On November 13, top court h said it would like to watch video of general body meeting of DHCBA to see "quality and kind" of deliberations held on issue of women reservation in bar body.

top court was informed that in general body meeting, proposal for reserving seats for women was not passed.

It h said court would like to see wher proposal for reserving five posts for women in 15-member executive body of DHCBA moved in pursuance of its September 26 order was rejected after due deliberations and thorough reasoning.

On September 26, top court directed DHCBA to have post of treasurer reserved for women beside one or post in five-member office-bearer body of association.

" general body of bar association shall consider to reserve post of treasurer exclusively for women members of bar association," bench h directed.

It h ded that in dition to reserving post of treasurer for women members, general body shall also be free to consider desirability of reserving one more post of office-bearer for women members of bar association.

"Similarly, out of 10 executive members, re shall be at least three women members. general body may also resolve that out of three women members of executive committee, one at least will be a senior designated vocate," it h directed.

top court h n directed general body meeting to be held preferably in 10 days.

It h asked Mathur to even urge bar bodies of district courts to have similar arrangements in place.

executive committee of high court bar association has 15 members, including five office-bearers. On May 2, in a significant order aimed at increasing representation of women at bar, top court h directed that 33 per cent posts in executive committee of SCBA be reserved for women members. PTI MNL MNL KSS KSS