Smt. Parvathi Bai, v. Chikkamagaluru Bar Association (R),

((((((((((((HC-KAR, NC:(2026:KHC:44145( WP(No.(25638(of(2026( ( ,,,,,,,,,, , CNR:(KAHC010570902026( ( ( IN(THE(HIGH(COURT(OF(KARNATAKA(AT(BENGALURU( TH DATED(THIS(THE(17 (DAY(OF(AUGUST,(2026(

BEFORE(

THE(HON'BLE(MR.(JUSTICE(SURAJ(GOVINDARAJ(

WRIT(PETITION(NO.(25638(OF(2026((GM-RES)(

BETWEEN:((

(

1., SMT.,PARVATHI,BAI,, W/O,SRI.,LAKSHMIKANTH,NAIK,,, C/O,LAKSHMI,NILAYA,,, AGED,53,YEARS,,, BEHIND,KOLHAPURADAMMA,TEMPLE,,, DONIKANA,,GANDHINAGAR,,, CHIKKAMAGALURU,-577,101,

…,PETITIONER, (BY,SMT.,SANDHYA,U.,PRABHU.,,ADVOCATE), AND:( (

1., CHIKKAMAGALURU,BAR,ASSOCIATION,(R),, REPRESENTED,BY,THE,SENIOR,COMMITTEE,,

BY,PRESIDENT, COURT,COMPLEX,,, CHIKKAMAGALURU,-577,101,Digitallytisigned by0SHWETHA , RAGHAVENDRA 2., THE,SENIOR,COMMITTEE,, Location:0HIGH (INCHARGE,COMMITTEE),, COURT0OF REPRESENTED,BY,PRESIDENT,KARNATAKA CHIKKAMAGALURU,BAR,ASSOCIATION,, CHIKKAMAGALURU,-577,101., …,RESPONDENTS, , (BY,SRI.,A,MADHUSUDHANA,RAO.,,ADVOCATE,,, V/O,DATED,14.08.2026), , , THIS, W.P., IS, FILED, UNDER, ARTICLE, 226, OF, THE, CONSTITUTION, OF, INDIA,, PRAYING, TO, i), QUASH, THE, ELECTION, NDNOTIFICATION,DATED,10/08/2026,ISSUED,BY,2 ,RESPONDENT,AS, PER,ANNEXURE-A,AND,ETC.,

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURAJ GOVINDARAJ

ORAL ORDER

¶1The petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs:

i) Issue a Writ of Certiorari quashing the election notification dated 10/08/2026 issued by 2nd respondent as per Annexure-A.

ii) Issue a writ of mandamus directing the respondent to reserve the post of treasurer as per the orders of the Hon'ble supreme court of India in SLP

(C) 1404/2025 produced at Annexure-D;

iii) Grant any other relief as this Hon'ble Court deems fit in the facts and circumstances of the case including awarding costs, in the interest of justice and equity.

¶2The petitioner claims to be a woman lawyer practicing in Chikkamagaluru.

¶3The first grievance of the petitioner relates to the calendar of events issued by respondent No.2 for the election. At Sl.No.18 of the calendar, two posts of Treasurer, namely, Treasurer-I and Treasurer-II, were shown. Treasurer-I was kept open to the General category, while Treasurer-II was reserved for women Advocates.

¶4The petitioner also contended that there was no reservation for women in Management Committee of the Bar Association.

¶5These grievances have to be considered in the light of the directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Deeksha Amrutesh v. State of Karnataka, (2026 SCC OnLine SC 666). The directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court are required to be followed by Advocates' Associations across country. The present election, therefore, has to be conducted in conformity with the said directions.

¶6In that background, Sri. Madhusudhana Rao, learned counsel, was directed to accept notice on behalf of respondent No.2, obtain instructions and make his submissions with regard to the reservation for women both in the post of Treasurer and in the Management Committee.

¶7Today, Sri. Madhusudhana Rao, learned counsel, has filed a memo along with the resolution dated

17.08.2026 passed by respondent No.2 and the communication issued by respondent No.2 to the Election Officer on the same date.

¶8Learned counsel submits that, pursuant to the resolution, there will now be only one post of Treasurer and the said post will be reserved for a woman candidate. The election to the other post of Treasurer, which had earlier been shown as a General category post, will not be held.

¶9Learned counsel further submits that 30% of the seats in the Executive Committee are reserved for women candidates.

¶10He also submits that the last date for filing nominations for Treasurer-II and the reserved seats in the Executive Committee has been extended from

17.08.2026 to 18.08.2026. The purpose of the extension is to give eligible women candidates an opportunity to submit their nominations and participate in the election. It is submitted that the extension has been limited to one day so that the election schedule is not otherwise disturbed.

¶11The submissions made by learned counsel are reasonable. The resolution dated 17.08.2026 and the consequential communication issued to the Election Officer address grievances raised by petitioner and bring election process in

conformity with the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court.

¶12The first grievance regarding the two posts of Treasurer has been addressed by providing for one post of Treasurer reserved for a woman candidate and not proceeding with the election to the other post which had earlier been shown as a General category post.

¶13The second grievance regarding reservation in the Management Committee has also been addressed by providing 30% reservation for women candidates.

¶14The extension of the time for filing nominations up to

18.08.2026 gives eligible women candidates an opportunity to participate in the election under the revised arrangement.

¶15In view of the above, no further consideration is required in this petition. The resolution dated

17.08.2026 and the communication issued to the Election Officer are taken on record.

¶16It is clarified that respondent No.2 and the Election Officer shall conduct the election in accordance with the revised arrangement and in conformity with the directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in

Deeksha Amrutesh v. State of Karnataka, (2026 SCC OnLine SC 666).

¶17It is further clarified that the earlier calendar of events, insofar as it showed two posts of Joint Secretary and two posts of Treasurer, shall stand modified to the extent indicated in the resolution dated 17.08.2026.

¶18The persons who have already filed their nominations for Joint Secretary-II and Treasurer-II pursuant to the earlier calendar of events shall also be permitted to file their nominations for any other post for which they are otherwise eligible, up to the end of the day on 18.08.2026.

¶19The Election Officer shall take necessary consequential steps and shall give effect to the above arrangement while conducting the election.

¶20The petition is accordingly disposed in the above terms.

Sd/- (SURAJ GOVINDARAJ) JUDGE KTY/List No.: 3 Sl No.: 18