New Delhi, May 9, 2025 — The Supreme Court has flagged serious concerns over the process adopted by the Allahabad High Court for conferring Senior Advocate designations in 2019, noting significant deviations from the guidelines laid down in the landmark Indira Jaising v. Supreme Court of India judgment.
A Bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan issued notice to the Allahabad High Court on a petition filed by Advocate Vishnu Bihari Tiwari challenging the High Court’s September 2024 decision that upheld the 2019 designations.
The petitioner alleged that the High Court’s permanent committee unilaterally altered the designated 100-point evaluation system mandated by the Indira Jaising guidelines and instead selected candidates who secured 45 out of 75 points. Of the 78 names submitted to the full court, 75 advocates were designated as Seniors.
The Supreme Court criticized this modification, remarking, “The High Court in its own wisdom has modified Indira Jaising.” The bench emphasized that the process appeared arbitrary and inconsistent with the constitutional mandate of transparency and objectivity in Senior designations.
The Allahabad High Court had previously rejected the petitioner’s plea on the ground that he lacked locus standi, as he had not met the modified cut-off score and had not been shortlisted. The High Court also took the view that interviews were discretionary and that the permanent committee’s power to shortlist applicants was valid under the Indira Jaising judgment.
Notably, the Supreme Court bench referred to a similar issue it had recently addressed involving Senior Advocate designations by the Delhi High Court in November 2024. In that case, the Court directed the Delhi High Court to re-evaluate deferred and rejected candidates, underscoring the judiciary’s commitment to procedural fairness.
The bench also noted that it has reserved judgment in a separate case concerning broader challenges to the Indira Jaising guidelines themselves, suggesting that a comprehensive ruling on Senior designations may be forthcoming.
The matter concerning the Allahabad High Court will be taken up after the High Court files its response.
