Leila Seth: Trailblazer for Property Rights and LGBTQ+ Equality in India

Leila Seth, who served as India's first woman Chief Justice of a High Court, played a pivotal role in advancing legal equality, particularly concerning property rights for daughters and the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

What Happened

During her long legal career, Justice Seth was instrumental in reforms that granted daughters equal rights to ancestral property. She also became a prominent voice advocating for LGBTQ+ individuals, notably after the 2012 Delhi gang rape incident. As a member of the Justice Verma Committee, she contributed to recommendations that led to changes in India's criminal laws concerning sexual violence. Seth openly challenged the criminalization of homosexuality, famously stating, "My gay son is not a criminal," and asserting that "The right that makes us human is the right to love."

Background

Born in Lucknow in 1930, Leila Seth entered the legal profession somewhat by chance during a trip to England. Her career trajectory defied societal expectations for women in the legal field during her time. In 1958, she achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first woman to top the London Bar examinations. She actively pursued cases across various legal domains, including constitutional, tax, and criminal law, earning recognition in male-dominated courtrooms. Her ascent continued as she became the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court in 1978 and subsequently India's first woman Chief Justice of a High Court in 1991.

Key Facts

• Leila Seth was India's first woman Chief Justice of a High Court.
• She was born in Lucknow in 1930.
• In 1958, she was the first woman to top the London Bar exams.
• She became the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court in 1978.
• She became India's first woman Chief Justice of a High Court in 1991.
• Reforms she championed led to daughters gaining equal rights in ancestral property.
• She was part of the Justice Verma Committee, which helped shape recommendations for criminal law reforms on sexual violence after the 2012 Delhi gang rape.
• She advocated against the criminalization of homosexuality.
• Justice Leila Seth donated her body for medical research at the age of 86.