Senior Designation : Supreme Court Removes 5-Year Limit To Consider Judgments, Pro-Bono/Amicus Works Accepting SCBA Request

The Supreme Court has further modified the criteria to designate senior advocates by removing the 5 year limit for considering reported and un-reported judgments in which the applicant has appeared and also probono/amicus curiae work

In a fresh notice issued on Friday, the Supreme Court Committee for Designation of Senior Advocates informed that the 5 year limit has been removed. On July 17, the Supreme Court had published the revised guidelines for senior designation pursuant to the judgment in Indira Jaising vs Supreme Court of India which modified the criteria.

As per the new guidelines, in the application form, the candidate has to specify the number of reported and unreported judgments (excluding orders that do not lay down any principle of law) in the last five years in cases in which the candidate has appeared as a lead arguing counsel or an assisting counsel.  For pro-bono/amicus curiae work also, 5 year limit was there.

Yesterday, the members of the Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association had met Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to request that the 5 year limit be removed. CJI accepted the request and the official notification in that regard was issued today stating :

"The competent authority has directed changes relating to the number of reported & unreported judgments and pro bono / amicus curiae work in Annexure-A and Annexure-A1 attached to above notices.

In terms of the above, the words “5 years” appearing in Annexure-A and Annexure-A1 attached to the above notices in relation to reported and unreported judgments and pro bono / amicus curiae work, stand deleted."

As per the guidelines, reported and unreported judgments and pro-bono/amicus curiae work carries 50 points out of 100. 

Other points are as follows :

Number of years of practice of the applicant-Advocate from 20 the date of enrolment - 20

( 10 points for 10 years of practice and 1 point each for every additional year of practice, subject to a maximum of 20 points).

 Publication of academic articles, experience of teaching assignments in the field of law, guest lectures delivered in law schools and professional institutions connected with law - 5

The test of personality and suitability on the basis of interview for a holistic assessment of the applicant - 25

For detailed report on revised guidelines, read this report.

Click here to read the notice