Karnataka High Court Issues Notice On Plea For Separate Ballot Papers For Women Candidates Contesting Elections To State Bar Council

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday (January 20) issued notice on a woman advocate's plea seeking separate ballot papers for women candidates contesting for elections to State Bar Council for five seats reserved for women. 

The petitioner, advocate Sandhya U Prabhu, submitted that she proposes to contest in the elections to the State Bar Council scheduled on March 11.

She argued that the election notification dated 5-1-2026 does not specify that there would be a separate ballot paper for women advocates who propose to contest the elections for total 5 seats reserved for women after the Supreme Court order in WP 581/2024. Notably, in December 2025 the Supreme Court had directed that 30% of the seats in the State Bar Councils - where elections are yet to be notified- must be represented by women advocates.

Prabha submitted that the total number of seats to be filled are 18, with 7 of the seats being reserved for lady advocates wherein 2 seats are to be filed by nomination. She said there are more than 200 candidates and a common ballot paper for all the candidates will not enable the electorate to choose women for "5 seats that must be filled by elections of lady advocates". 

Justice BM Shyam Prasad while issuing notice on the petition in its order dictated:

"The petitioner seeks stay of elections but this court is not inclined to stay the elections, but is pursuaded to opine that subject to further orders the petitioner must be at liberty to file representation with both the respondent 1 and respondent 3 for just orders, for a separate ballot paper for lady advocates who propose to contest elections against the five posts reserved for them...Shri G Nataraj learned counsel for respondent 1 (State Bar Council) is called upon to accept notice, as is Madam Anubha Srivastava learned standing counsel for respondent 2. Petitioner shall ensure copies are served on these respondents further the petitioner is reserved with liberty to file a copy of the petition and copy of this order with the third respondent (election officer)..."

The plea seeks to quash a notification dated 5-1-2026 issued by state bar council and a direction to treat women candidates claiming reservation as a separate class.

It seeks a direction to provide a separate ballot paper/EVM for women claiming reservation as a separate class.

In the interim the plea seeks a stay of the notification for filing of nominations. 

The matter is listed on February 6. 

Case title: SMT. SANDHYA U PRABHU v/s KARNATAKA STATE BAR COUNCIL AND OTHERS

 WP 1385/2026