New Delhi: The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association (SCWLA), led by Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, has issued a strongly worded press release condemning the Holi Milan programme organised by the Kanpur Bar Association (KBA), alleging that the event featured performances by belly dancers and involved the filming, objectification and commodification of women within a professional legal space.
In its statement dated March 1, 2026, the SCWLA described the incident as “shameful, reprehensible and utterly disgraceful,” asserting that such conduct strikes at the foundation of professional ethics, constitutional morality and human dignity.
“Zero Tolerance for Misogyny in Professional Spaces”:
The Association stated that the legal profession, entrusted with upholding justice, equality and dignity, cannot be allowed to degenerate into a platform for misogyny, voyeurism or objectification of women under the guise of celebration.
Terming the episode a case of grave professional misconduct and gross moral depravity, SCWLA observed that such events create a hostile, unsafe and humiliating environment for women lawyers, interns, staff and litigants. The statement further noted that recording and circulating videos of such performances aggravates violations of women’s dignity, autonomy and privacy, amounting to what it described as “systemic exploitation masked as entertainment.”
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Specific Demands Raised:
The SCWLA has made the following categorical demands:
- Immediate public apology by the Kanpur Bar Association
- Strict disciplinary proceedings against office bearers and members responsible for organising and endorsing the event
- Intervention by the Bar Council of India and the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council, followed by punitive action
- Formulation and enforcement of mandatory gender sensitisation guidelines for all Bar Association functions across the country
The Association emphasised that Bar Associations are not entertainment clubs and that court premises cannot become venues for vulgarity or spectacle. It asserted that any attempt to trivialise such conduct as festive celebration is deeply insulting to women and corrosive to the integrity of the legal profession.
“The Dignity of Women Is Inviolable”:
The statement concludes with a firm declaration that professional misconduct will not be tolerated and accountability will be enforced.
The press release has been signed by Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, President of SCWLA, and Advocate Prerna Singh, General Secretary.
The development is likely to trigger wider debate within the legal fraternity regarding decorum at Bar functions, gender sensitivity in professional spaces, and the responsibility of Bar Associations in maintaining institutional dignity.
