Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Wednesday (November 4) said that one of the factors he considers while recommending judges for elevation to the Supreme Court is their ability to function as a team member, given the increasing workload and filings before the apex court.

“One of the factors which at least I have always kept in mind is how you are going to perform as a team member because Supreme Court is virtually now playing a T20 match with this much filing,” the CJI said.

He made the remarks while addressing a felicitation function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the newly appointed judges - Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, who took oath on October 6.

Explaining the considerations involved in judicial appointments to the Supreme Court, CJI Surya Kant said that seniority, performance, regional representation and diversity are among the factors weighed by the Collegium.

He observed that the enormous increase in filings reflected the growing public trust in the judiciary, while also contributing to rising pendency.

The CJI also emphasised the importance of the relationship between the Bench and the Bar in the development of law.

“The bar contributes to the development of law, not merely by presenting arguments in court, but by bringing independent perspectives, rigorous research and professional insight to the court's consideration. The bench in turn must remain open to persuasion and constructive criticism,” he said.

Describing elevation to the Supreme Court as the beginning of a different kind of responsibility, CJI Surya Kant said that the transition involved a change not merely in position but also in the scale and reach of judicial responsibility.

He commended Justice Sunita Agarwal for her administrative capabilities, particularly her work on judicial infrastructure in Gujarat, describing her as “a hardcore administrator” in addition to being a judge.

Recalling Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh's tenure as Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court, the CJI referred to an old matter pending for over 10-12 years which was decided during his tenure.

The felicitation function was held at the Main Auditorium of the Supreme Court's Administrative Buildings Complex. It was attended by Justices Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale and Arun Palli, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, SCBA President and Senior Advocate Pradeep Kumar Rai, Vice-President Rahul Kaushik and Secretary Pragya Baghel, among others.

Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, who was elevated to the Supreme Court along with Justices Agarwal and Singh, could not attend the function due to an “unforeseen exigency at home.” CJI Surya Kant later clarified that Justice Upadhyaya had to travel to his hometown.

Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, Justice Sunita Agarwal Address Bar

Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh, addressing the gathering, described the occasion as a homecoming, recalling that he had come to Delhi around 42 years ago as a student and pursued his LLB at the University of Delhi.

Reflecting on his 22 years at the Bar, Justice Singh said that legal proceedings must not lose sight of the human stories behind cases.

“It teaches you that behind the facts, figures, cases cited, there is far more important, a human story. A case may be one among hundreds listed before a court, but for the person standing in that courtroom, it may be the most important matter in the world,” he said.

“The role of the bar and the bench, in the end, is the same. The pursuit of justice,” he added.

Justice Sunita Agarwal, one of the three women judges currently serving in the Supreme Court, described her judicial journey as that of “an ordinary girl from a small town who dared to dream.”

Recalling her early years at the Allahabad High Court, she said that many members of the Bar would openly ask her how she intended to survive in the legal profession.

Describing the Allahabad High Court as her “high school” and the Gujarat High Court as her “graduation and post-graduation,” Justice Agarwal said:

“Today, being in the Supreme Court, I feel as though I have secured admission in the Ph.D. program. The learning continues and I remain a student of law.”

Addressing young women lawyers, she urged them to create opportunities rather than wait for them.

“Do not wait for opportunities to come knock at your door. Be prepared to create them, and when an opportunity comes your way, seize it,” she said.

“If I could do it, you can too,” she added.

SCBA President Calls For Institutional Response To Attempts To Malign Judiciary

SCBA President Pradeep Kumar Rai, in his address, thanked the CJI for initiatives concerning Bar welfare, including the expansion of the ladies' bar room, renovation of the canteen, medical facilities and approval for training lawyers in arbitration.

Rai also stressed the need for an institutional response to attempts to malign the judiciary.

Referring to cases he had personally filed against individuals who had allegedly maligned him, Rai said that he had not pursued criminal proceedings after the accused apologised or were penalised. However, he stressed that the Supreme Court was an institution whose integrity had to be protected.

“An apology may be relevant, but institutional responsibility cannot be abandoned. The freedom of expression must be protected, but we must make the effort that integrity and independence of our constitutional institutions is not compromised anywhere,” he said.

“We cannot expect dharma to protect our institution if we are unwilling to protect dharma,” Rai added.

The function also featured brief addresses by SCBA office-bearers. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta conveyed his wishes to the newly elevated judges on behalf of the Union Government and the Attorney General of India, wishing them a “very very successful and satisfying tenure on the bench.”

The SCBA office-bearers later presented mementos to Justices Agarwal and Singh.