SC formulates guidelines for designation of Senior Advocates

The Supreme Court on Thursday, in its order, formulated certain guidelines for the designation of all the Senior Advocates for all the state High Courts and Supreme Court. A Bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi, passed the order after hearing in detail the arguments from the petitioner, Indira Jaisingh, seeking proper guidelines to be laid down on the issue. The apex court in its order set up a committee, to look into the designation of senior advocates' issue.

The Committee includes the Chief Justice of India (CJI), two seniormost judges and the Centre’s top law officer, the Attorney General (AG), to examine the background of the advocates deserved to be designated as Senior Advocates. Therefore, the apex court in its order has widened up the scope to be termed as Senior Advocates. Earlier, the general practice was that the judges determine whether a lawyer, practicing in High Courts and Supreme Court, would be designated as senior or not.

The Top Court also made it clear that a Senior Advocate guilty of professional misconduct or other offence, if any, would face the prosecution or proceedings for withdrawal of designation. The apex court set up a secretariat which will publish the candidature inviting suggestions.