Pranav Shukla
The controversy arose on 30 November, 2024, a day after the Delhi High Court reportedly approved the designation of 70 lawyers as senior advocates, marking the conclusion of the selection process.
The process of conferring senior advocate status in the Delhi High Court has become controversial after, a member of the six-member permanent committee overseeing the selection, stated to a reputated news channel on Saturday that he declined to sign the final list, citing procedural irregularities.
Nandrajog alleged that he was left out of the decision-making process, asserting that the list was finalized and forwarded to him for approval after the fact, while he was occupied with arbitration duties. “The list was never properly finalized. For two days, I wasn’t at the high court due to arbitration commitments. The list was prepared and sent forward, and later sent to me for my signature. I refused to sign. The committee was supposed to meet on Monday, but that didn’t happen,” he explained.
This unexpected turn of events raises doubts about the process and the official announcement of 70 lawyers’ designations, coinciding with the upcoming elevation of Delhi High Court Chief Justice Manmohan to the Supreme Court.
The controversy has created an unprecedented cloud over the designation process, sparking concerns about transparency and compliance with established procedures. The final list of senior advocates, which features 11 women and several notable practitioners, was announced on Friday after a full court meeting of all Delhi High Court judges. However, the refusal of a committee member to approve the list has now cast doubt on its legitimacy.