Advocates give thumbs up to Justice Malhotra's tips on attire for women lawyers

Advocates irrespective of gender have endorsed the tips given to young women lawyers by newly-appointed Supreme Court judge Indu Malhotra on 'professional attire', saying Bar Council of India rules too favour a "sober and dignified" dress code.

Justice Malhotra visited the bar room yesterday during the lunch hour where she said that all women lawyers should be professionally attired.

The lawyers were in agreement with their former colleague, who became the first woman advocate to be appointed as a Supreme Court judge directly from the bar, that the dresses worn by the advocates shall be sober and dignified, as recommended by the Bar Council Of India (BCI) Rules.

"She was basically asking the women advocates to adhere to the rules laid down in the Bar Council of India Act and the Advocates Act which prescribe the uniform for women advocates," advocate Anindita Pujari said.

"I have taken her visit to the lady bar room and her talk with us on a positive note," the advocate said.

Another advocate cited an example of a senior woman colleague who always comes "professionally dressed" to the court in a trouser.

Some of the women lawyers said the lady judge was perhaps trying to give a message that three-fourth trousers or palazzos are not appropriate clothes for women lawyers in the courts.

Advocate Aishwarya Bhati, a former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), said Justice Malhotra has reminded all lawyers, particularly young ones, to maintain professional ethics and perhaps her remarks was the reflection that a few percentage of women lawyers were not adhering to the uniform prescribed under the BCI Act and the Advocates Act.

"In this male bastion, even the women lawyers have to be professionally committed and they can't give a go by to the norms prescribed for practising advocacy. The profession requires you to be dressed in a manner prescribed not only for the male lawyers but also for the female.

"Majority of the women lawyers are professionally attired and to maintain the dress code it is also the responsibility of the senior lawyers under whom a junior works to be told about the discipline of the profession which requires all lawyers to be dressed professionally," Bhati said.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising took to Twitter to express her views on the issue and said, "I join Ms Justice Indu Malhotra in appealing to women Lawyers to be well attired and professionally dressed in court. She was herself one of the best dressed professionally attired women Lawyer."
His views were shared by senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, who also said that "all lawyers, whether male or female should be professionally attired and comply with the dress code."
According to the BCI Rules, the women advocates shall wear "black and full or half sleeve jacket or blouse, white collar stiff or soft, with white bands and Advocates' Gowns. White blouse, with or without collar, with white bands and with a black open breast coat."