Supreme Court Allows AoRs To Apply For SCBA Membership Till Tomorrow For Voting In SCAORA Elections

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Advocates-on-Record (AoRs) to apply for Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) membership till tomorrow 5 PM, to enable them to vote in elections for the office bearers of the Supreme Court Advocate on Record Association (SCAORA) scheduled for May 21.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order while hearing a writ petition challenging the exclusion of newly registered AoRs from the SCAORA electoral roll.

The controversy centred around the requirement of SCBA membership as a condition for SCAORA membership and voting eligibility. Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, appearing in the matter, submitted that some AoRs, who are not SCBA members, are seeking voting right in SCAORA elections.

At the outset, the bench urged the parties to resolve the issue amicably.

“Why don't you people resolve the issue?” the Chief Justice remarked.

The Court was informed that the SCAORA elections are scheduled to be held on May 21.

Advocate Rajiv Shankar submitted that the eligibility conditions had been altered midway through the process. He argued that earlier, advocates had a two-year window to obtain SCBA membership, but the present petitioners were being denied participation based on a changed approach.

“They have changed the form midway. Earlier, within two years, one could become SCBA member... this is only against the petitioners,” he submitted.

The counsel for the election committee informed the bench that 112 of the applicants were already SCBA members, while others were not, and maintained that SCBA membership was a necessary precondition.

The bench then explored whether a practical solution could be worked out by allowing the excluded advocates to obtain SCBA membership immediately.

“If they acquire SCBA membership in next two days, is there any problem?” the Chief Justice asked.

Vikas Singh responded that the larger issue was one of unequal treatment, pointing out that several persons already included in the voter list had earlier given undertakings to obtain SCBA membership but had not fulfilled that requirement.

“There are already 70 in the voter list who gave undertaking earlier, but have not become SCBA members till date. That's my problem. Becoming AoR and becoming SCAORA member are two different things,” Singh submitted.

Passing an interim order, the Court made it clear that the relief being granted was confined only to voting rights and would not extend to contesting the elections.

“We are only granting limited right of casting vote. Not to contest elections,” the Chief Justice observed.

As per the order, the Court recorded that 161 newly qualified AoRs had applied for SCAORA membership and permission to vote in the elections. Of these, 112 were found eligible.

With respect to the remaining applicants, the Court granted a one-time opportunity to complete the formalities. It directed that those who submit the necessary forms by 5 PM on Tuesday may have their applications considered for being permitted to vote in the elections.

Earier, the Court had passed an interim order allowing newly qualified AoRs to vote in the 2026 elections.

Case Title – Ritu Rajkumari v. Election Committee