Kanpur Bar Holi Milan: SC Women Lawyers Association Condemns Performance By Belly Dancers

The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association has expressed its deep outrage, absolute condemnation and zero tolerance disapproval of the 'disgraceful' Holi Milan programme organized by the Kanpur Bar Association.

At the event, belly dancers were invited to perform and lawyers were seen 'filming, objectifying and commodifying women under the garb of celebration and entertainment'.

A press release issued by the Association on March 1, 2026 states, "This incident is shameful, reprehensible and utterly disgraceful, striking at the very foundation of professional ethics, constitutional morality and human dignity. The legal profession, which is entrusted with the sacred duty of upholding justice, equality and dignity, cannot and must not degenerate into a platform for misogyny, voyeurism and objectification of women."

The Association has claimed such conduct constitutes grave professional misconduct, gross moral depravity and serious ethical delinquency, warranting immediate disciplinary action.

"Such events create a hostile, unsafe, humiliating, and deeply uncomfortable professional environment, particularly for women lawyers, interns, staff, and litigants. It normalizes sexual objectification, legitimizes harassment and institutionalizes gender insensitive behaviour within spaces that must remain neutral, respectful and dignified. The act of recording such performances and circulating them further aggravates the violation of women’s dignity, autonomy and privacy, amounting to systematic exploitation masked as entertainment," the association headed by Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani has said.

It has been stressed that Court premises and professional spaces are not venues for vulgarity, spectacle or exploitation and any attempt to trivialize or justify such conduct as festive celebration is deeply insulting to women, destructive to workplace dignity and corrosive to the integrity of the legal profession.

"The Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association will not remain a silent spectator to such degradation of professional values and reserves its right to pursue all legal, disciplinary and institutional remedies available. The dignity of women is inviolable. Professional misconduct will not be tolerated. Accountability will be enforced," the Press Release adds.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court Women Lawyers Association categorically demands:

1. Immediate public apology by the Kanpur Bar Association.

2. Strict disciplinary proceedings against the office bearers and members responsible for organizing and endorsing this event.

3. Intervention by the Bar Council of India and the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council, followed by swift punitive action.

4. Formulation and enforcement of mandatory gender sensitization guidelines governing all Bar Association functions across the country.