Supreme Court Rethinks Senior Advocate Designation Process

The Supreme Court has called for feedback from high courts and stakeholders on revising the senior advocate designation process. A three-judge bench will review the matter, raising concerns about current methods involving interviews. The review examines previous guidelines and calls for a larger bench to deliberate on the issue.

The Supreme Court is reevaluating the process of designating lawyers as senior advocates, seeking input from all high courts and stakeholders. The current method's reliance on brief interviews to assess candidates' qualifications and personalities has come under scrutiny.

A three-judge bench, including Justices Abhay S Oka, Ujjal Bhuyan, and S V N Bhatti, plans to hear the issue on March 21. Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta are expected to lead the arguments. The bench has invited high courts to submit responses and suggestions by March 19.

Concerns about compromising the dignity of advocates through the interview process and potential biases in selection have been raised. The discussion also revisits the 2017 guidelines that established permanent committees for senior designations, questioning whether these frameworks adequately ensure fairness and transparency.