Gender gap among Kerala HC senior advocates widens

Source: The New Indian Express
Author: P Ramdas

KOCHI : Over the last two decades just two women have risen to the ranks of senior lawyer from the thousands who have been practising in the Kerala High Court. Notwithstanding the disparity, of the 20 designated as seniors by the HC on Thursday -- on the eve of International Women's Day -- only one is a woman.

Currently, the total number of senior women lawyers stands at a mere three. This contrasts starkly with the recent ground-breaking decision by the Supreme Court, which saw 11 women designated as senior lawyers from a pool of 56 candidates.

Advocates V P Seemandini and Sumathi Dandapani were named seniors in 2007. In the list published on March 7, the HC designated Advocate Dhanya P Ashokan as a senior. The HC received 60 applications, of which only one was from a woman. It shortlisted 40 applicants, of which 20 were named seniors. As per Kerala Bar Council data, there are 59,015 advocates in the state, of which 24,132 are women. This equates to roughly one female for every two male advocates.

Seemandini, who is vice president (southern region) of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, says there are efficient women lawyers in the HC worthy of being named seniors. "But they don't believe in submitting the application. In my view, there are currently at least five women who are highly eligible for the post. HC should follow the Supreme Court in identifying suo motu senior women lawyers," she told TNIE.