Leila Seth (20 October 1930 - 5 May 2017) was the first woman to become the Chief Justice of the High Court in India. The credit for becoming the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court also goes to her. She was also the first woman in the country who Tops topped London Bar Examination.
Justice Leila was born in Lucknow in October 1930. After the death of the father in childhood, she was raised homeless and widowed by the widowed mother, and facing the difficulties, the struggle to reach a position like Chief Justice of the High Court can be estimated for a woman. She is the mother of internationally renowned writer Vikram Seth.
The name of Leila Seth is well known due to the law examination in London being the top in 1958, becoming a member of the 15th Law Commission of India and a special contribution in some famous judicial matters.
Justice Leila was married through the family to Bata - a lover serving in the company. Leela was not even a graduate at that time, later Premo had to go for a job in England, then she went along and graduated from there, it was not possible for her to go to a regular college. So she made up her mind to study law, where she was successful in the bar examination.
After some time the husband had to return to India, Leela decided to come here and practice, this was a time when there were very few women in jobs. She started advocacy in Kolkata but later started practicing in Patna. In 1959, he joined the bar and practiced in Delhi after Patna. During her advocacy, she also filed a large number of Income Tax, Sales Tax, Axis Duty and Customs cases, besides civil company and matrimonial cases.
In 1978 she became the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court and later in 1991 was appointed the first woman Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh. She has played an important role in cases like discrimination with women, making the girl an equal share of father's property in the joint family, and the investigation into the death of Rajan Pillai in police custody.
In 1995, she took over the responsibility of a one-member commission set up to investigate Rajan Pillai's death in police custody. From 1998 to 2000, she was a member of the Law Commission of India and amended the Hindu Empowerment Act under which daughters were given equal rights in the joint family. Along with important judicial responsibilities, he also successfully played the important responsibility of the family.
In 1992, she retired as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh. As a career woman, Leela Seth established a distinct identity in the judicial system considered male-dominated and broke many old beliefs. At the same time, she maintained an amazing balance between family and career.
