Women in Indian Courts of Law: A Study of Women Legal Professionals in the District Court of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Men have traditionally dominated legal profession in India. Women’s entry could be possible only after long and protracted legal battles, and even then, their presence in the courts remained insignificant until the end of the twentieth century. However, the policy of globalisation in the twenty-first century has provided additional opportunities to Indian women in legal education and training. The invasion of modernity has not only moderated the court environment but has also put an end to the medieval male chauvinism in the profession. The present paper, based on the data collected from the District Court in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, critically analyses the gender bias, sexual morality and criminal discourse within the court premises, in addition to women’s role and status as legal professionals, wives, mothers and daughters-in-law in the disintegrating joint family structure