SCBA Election Reforms | Justice Nageswara Rao Invites Suggestions From Supreme Court Bar

The Committee headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao, former Supreme Court Judge, has invited suggestions from the members of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) regarding the reforms in the SCBA bye-laws, particularly the provisions dealing with elections.

Suggestions are solicited from the members of the Supreme Court bar on the following issues:

• Eligibility conditions for contesting elections to the Executive Committee.
• Eligibility conditions for voting in elections to the Executive Committee.
• Tenure of the Executive Committee.
• Strength of the Executive Committee
• Disqualification of candidates (including, for providing inducement for votes).
• Any other issue concerning the election of members to the Executive Committee.

The suggestions can be shared before 20-03-2025 by email (scba.committee.2025@gmail.com), not exceeding two pages, without attachments.

Along with the suggestions, the senders should also provide their SCBA membership number and mobile number.

It was on February 25 that a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh appointed Justice Nageswara Rao as the Chairperson of the Committee constituted to propose reforms of SCBA election provisions. The Committee will also consist of some Senior Advocates/experienced advocates (from both, Advocates-on-Record and Non-Advocates-on-record category) who have never been interested in contesting the elections as office bearers of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Justice Rao was given the liberty to pick the Committee members.

The development took place in the Supreme Court Bar Association v. BD Kaushik case, in which the issue relating to the SCBA elections was raised. Last year, the Supreme Court had passed an order in the case for 1/3rd women's reservation in the SCBA posts.

The Court has observed that the norms, eligibility conditions, fees etc. of the SCBA have remained static for decades and stressed the need for timely reforms.