LI Network
Published on: January 16, 2024 at 12:17 IST
In a significant move, a committee led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is set to interview more than 200 lawyers who have applied for senior designation in the Supreme Court. Out of the 282 applications received, 200 have been shortlisted for the interview process.
The last time the Supreme Court conferred senior designation on lawyers was in 2019. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud announced today that the bench will conclude its proceedings early to accommodate the interviews for senior designation. The process will be carried out under modified guidelines issued based on the judgment delivered on May 12, 2023, in the case of Indira Jaising v. Supreme Court of India.
Last year, in July, the Supreme Court instructed lawyers who had submitted applications following the notifications of 2022 to submit fresh applications in line with the modified guidelines.
The committee responsible for Senior Designations comprises:
(a) Chief Justice of India: Chairperson
(b) Two senior-most Judges of the Supreme Court of India: Members
(c) Attorney General for India: Member
(d) A member of the Bar, nominated by the Chairperson and Members mentioned above: Member
The shortlisted names will be presented before the Full Court, and there will be no secret ballot voting except in exceptional situations, with reasons duly recorded. The judgment in the Indira Jaising case emphasized that secret voting should be an exception.
Eligibility conditions include at least ten years of standing as an Advocate or ten years of combined standing as an Advocate and as a District and Sessions Judge or a Judicial Member of any Tribunal in India. The applicant must primarily practice in the Supreme Court and have attained the age of 45 years, unless the age limit is relaxed by the Committee or recommended by the Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court Judge.
The criteria for evaluation involve the number of years of practice, reported and unreported judgments, pro bono work, domain expertise, publications, academic articles, teaching assignments, and guest lectures. The personality and suitability of the applicant will also be assessed through an interview.
The Secretariat of the Committee will initiate the process for Senior Advocate designation at least once every year, inviting applications and publishing the proposals received on the official website of the Supreme Court. The new guidelines can be accessed here.
