Women lawyers arranging their hair in "open court" disturbs the functioning of the court, stated a controversial notice allegedly issued by the Pune District Court, which has now been quietly withdrawn.
The notice dated 20 October, which directed women advocates to refrain from "such an act" of fixing their hair, has received backlash from within the legal community and otherwise.
"Yes, a notice was issued by the registrar. The poster has been removed now," a source told The Quint.
Slamming the order, Human Rights Advocate Sonali Shelar told The Quint, "I'm always surprised by the extent to which society tries to control women. This is one profession where you see unwarranted opinions like this being shared without any fear of being called out. The notice has now been taken down but it is a good example of the male gaze. Being asked to not "arrange their hair" – via a registrar notice no less – in a field where clients, seniors, and colleagues make casual remarks on our bodies and clothes is infuriating."