Delhi HC judge laments ‘huge gender disparity’ in legal profession

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New Delhi, August 5

Noting that only 15 per cent of practising lawyers were women, Justice Pratibha M Singh of the Delhi High Court on Saturday highlighted the “huge disparity” in the legal profession in India due to constraints they faced at home.

“There is a huge disparity there. Though our law colleges have more than 50 per cent women and most toppers are girls, why is that enrolments (as advocates) are so low?” Justice Singh asked.

Speaking as the chief guest at ‘Lady Lawyers Day’ organised by the Society of Indian Law Firms (SILF) and SILF Ladies Group, she said some of the most competent litigating girls found it difficult to get acceptance in matrimony and some others gave it up for corporate practices after marriage.

While women were easy to “stereotype”, competence and integrity beat everything else to gain success in the legal profession, she said, adding law firms scored much better in this area.

Veteran jurist Fali S Nariman said it’s not laws that oppress women but the deprecating attitude of men which was the real problem.

“It is not laws by Parliament that oppress women. Laws are invariably passed by having regard to sub-clause 3 Article 15 which says nothing shall prevent the making of special provisions for women. It is only the deprecating attitude of men towards women that oppresses women far more, which is a pity,” Nariman said.

Justice Singh said, “The environment in the legal profession is such that women have to give 120 per cent to prove themselves. It is not enough to do 100 per cent… It is so true that women have to be more and more competent to be in higher positions.”

She said, “I believe for a woman to have a successful career as a legal professional, competence beats everything. If you are competent and you show integrity, there is nothing that can stop you. First and foremost gratitude should be expressed to all the great men who made it possible for women to enter the field of law,” she added.

Justice Singh said women lawyers struggle to practise in courts, except for major metros, as there were “insufficient facilities” for women in courts and women in litigation were “still viewed with negativity”.

Women in law have to give their 120 and not 100 per cent to prove themselves as they have to be “more and more competent” to be in higher positions, she said.

Men’s attitude the real problem

It is not laws by Parliament that oppress women. Laws are invariably passed by having regard to sub-clause 3 Article 15 which says nothing shall prevent the making of special provisions for women. It is only the deprecating attitude of men that oppresses women far more. — Fali S Nariman, veteran jurist