Recently, the Supreme Court raised concerns over the Delhi High Court’s recent decision to designate 70 lawyers as senior advocates, observing that several eligible candidates appeared to have been overlooked. The Court sought clarification from the High Court’s Registrar General on whether the remaining eligible candidates could still be considered for designation. It further noted that the selection process had been challenged, necessitating judicial scrutiny.
The case originated from a plea challenging the decision of the Delhi High Court’s full bench, which conferred senior advocate designations on a set of lawyers. The selection process involved interviews of over 300 candidates. However, controversy arose after a key member of the permanent committee, responsible for shortlisting candidates, resigned, alleging procedural irregularities. The petitioner contended that the final list was prepared without full consensus, raising concerns about fairness in the designation process.
The petitioner argued that the selection process lacked transparency and had arbitrarily excluded several deserving candidates. It was further contended that a senior committee member had not signed off on the final list, casting doubt on its validity. The plea urged the Supreme Court to quash the designation process and direct the High Court to reconsider applications in a fair and transparent manner.
The Supreme Court took note of the affidavit submitted by a former member of the Senior Advocate Designation Committee, which highlighted discrepancies in the finalization of the list. Justice Abhay S Oka remarked, "There are a number of eligible candidates, yet only a limited number have been designated. Is the High Court willing to reconsider the remaining candidates by placing their cases before the full court?"
The Court further stated that if the High Court did not offer a reasonable resolution, it would be compelled to examine the procedural lapses in detail. The bench emphasized that a fair and just selection process is crucial to maintaining the integrity of senior designations.
The Supreme Court issued notice to the Delhi High Court’s Registrar General, directing them to submit a response on whether reconsideration of overlooked candidates was possible. Additionally, it sought a sealed cover submission of the Senior Advocate Designation Committee’s report for further scrutiny. The matter is scheduled for its next hearing, where the Court will determine the future course of action.
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