Justice Leila Seth: The Woman Who Rewrote History and Held the Law Like a Mother Holds Her Child

India’s First Woman Chief Justice of a High Court | Human Rights Champion | The Quiet Revolution in Robes

In a nation where courtrooms once echoed only with the voices of men, Leila Seth walked in with quiet dignity, profound intellect — and a fierce sense of fairness.

She wasn’t just the first woman Chief Justice of a High Court.
She was a mother — to a son, a family, a generation of female lawyers, and to the legal conscience of India.

While others debated reform, she became it.

Humble Beginnings of a Future Giant

Leila Seth was born on October 20, 1930, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Raised by a single mother after the early death of her father, her childhood was one of hardship — but also resilience.

There was no lawyer in the family. No godfather in the system.
But there was clarity in her mind, fire in her soul, and kindness in her voice.

At a time when women were expected to only be wives and mothers, Leila dared to be a jurist, a scholar, and a changemaker.

The Unlikely Journey to Law

She didn’t start out aiming for a legal career. After marriage, when her husband went to London for training, Leila also sought a course. She chose law — simply because it allowed her to study from home while raising her child, Vikram Seth, who would later become one of India’s most celebrated authors.

“I chose law because it fit around my baby’s nap time.”
— Leila Seth

She topped her bar exam in England in 1958, becoming the first woman to do so in the London Bar — ahead of 192 men.

This was no accident.
It was history knocking on patriarchy’s door.

First Woman Chief Justice — But Always a People’s Judge

In 1978, she became a judge of the Delhi High Court.
In 1991, she was appointed Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court — becoming the first woman to hold that post in any Indian High Court.

But she never chased headlines.
She believed in being:

• Calm in argument

• Sensitive in family law

• Fearless in constitutional matters

• And always — accessible to the vulnerable

Justice With Heart: Women, Children & the Marginalized

Leila Seth didn’t see the law as cold logic.
She saw it as a tool to heal society.

Her judgments were known for being:

• Deeply empathetic in child custody and adoption cases

• Balanced and fair in dowry and marital cruelty matters

• Ahead of her time in gender equality, inheritance, and sexual abuse

She often said:

“A woman doesn’t need a pedestal. She needs space to grow.”

And she fought for that space — not just in court, but in Parliament, in commissions, and in classrooms.

Member of the 15th Law Commission

As part of the 15th Law Commission of India, Justice Seth contributed to some of the most progressive reforms in Indian legal history, including:

• Hindu Succession Act amendment (giving daughters equal rights to ancestral property)

• Rights of the child

• Speedy justice in rape cases

• Legal reforms in guardianship and custody battles

She wasn’t just interpreting laws — she was reshaping them.

The Justice Who Could Write

Leila was not just a judge.
She was a writer, thinker, and truth-teller.

Her books include:

• “On Balance” – Her powerful autobiography

• “We, The Children of India” – A book explaining the Constitution to kids

• “Talking of Justice” – Reflections on law, life, and human rights

Her language was gentle yet strong, poetic yet practical — just like her.

“If justice is delayed, hope is denied.”
— Leila Seth

Lessons for Every Law Student

A Mother in Many Ways

Leila Seth’s personal story is also powerful.

She was the mother of Vikram Seth, author of A Suitable Boy. When he came out as gay, she supported him publicly and powerfully, becoming one of India’s few judicial voices for LGBTQ+ rights — even after retirement.

In a famous essay, she wrote:

“I am proud of my son. And no law should tell him he is a criminal for loving.”

This made her not just a legal icon, but a national mother figure for many LGBTQ+ Indians.

The Final Goodbye

Leila Seth passed away on 5 May 2017, aged 86.

But she didn’t leave behind silence.
She left behind:

• A Constitution better understood

• A generation of women lawyers braver than before

• A legal system slightly more human

Final Reflections — What Leila Seth Truly Taught Us

She taught us that law can be gentle and firm.
That motherhood and justice can live in one person.
That breaking barriers doesn’t need shouting — it needs showing up, again and again.

“I didn’t want to be the first woman. I just didn’t want to be the last.”
— Justice Leila Seth

Epilogue from The LexOcta Chronicle

At The LexOcta Chronicle, we believe stories like Leila Seth’s are not just to be read — but lived.

To every woman sitting in a law college wondering,
“Can I make it?”

To every child wondering,
“What does justice look like?”

And to every young advocate asking,
“Can I balance life and law?”

This story is your answer.

Yes, you can.