A humble person never stops learning, and that is exactly the kind of a person Mr. Saurabh Yadav is. He is an advocate at the Supreme Court of India and an alumnus of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University.
Q. Tell me about the most memorable/remarkable case you’ve fought in your legal career.
A. I started practice two years back joining chamber of Advocate-on-record and this period, though brief, has been significant for I assisted my senior in many environmental matters including that related to the Ganga Swachh Abhiyaan. The rationale behind taking up this case is that as the status of Ganga Matter is concerned, multiple committees have been constituted in compliance of order of Hon’ble NGT but nothing noteworthy seems to have been done on ground till date, which is quite dolorous. My independent case list starts with a criminal trial pending for last 15 years, in which I am appearing as a pro-bono defence counsel. Examining the file of the case very clearly exposes the manipulations done by Investigating officers leading to victimisation and oppression of the my client (innocent), who is subjected to humiliation throughout the period. The accused in the present case was poor and ignorant about his rights, which further rekindles the importance of education and public legal education in our country. Organising legal aid camps and proliferating awareness shall go a long way in this regard. Such trial cases which remain undecided for a long period also impose a serious question mark on the justice delivery system of our Country.
Q.How would you have described yourself as a law student?
A. I am from the science stream, with a fondness for Mathematics. As destiny would have it, I got through CLAT and got admitted into a national law university and then I decided to work with my strength of logical understanding to put pace in my legal career. I used to learn law with its analysis in the practicality of life. Eventually, I started understanding law to some extent and for that matter I am still a law student.
Q. You have interned under Rama Shankar and Associates. Do you believe/defy the fact that law firms are more of a profit-seeking business?
A. Rama Shankar and Associates is a team of 4-5 juniors working under Rama Shankar, who himself has a glorious experience of nearly thirty years in practice of original side as well as appellate jurisdiction. As far as law firms are concerned, I can tell you as per my personal experiences with law firms that most of them, to a huge extent, behave like corporate business houses only. The noble profession of an advocate does not reflect there, making them unfit to be approached by poor and aggrieved people. It cannot be denied that one needs to have a good paying capacity to approach law firms. I strongly believe that we need to look into it and place regulations for them. Q. As an advocate in the Supreme Court, how do you trust yourself to be a medium to repose people’s faith in the Indian justice system?
A. Reposing faith in judiciary is the need of democratic society. Unfortunately, the original sanctity of judicial system crafted by the mighty Constitution of our country has declined. One needs to be less professional and more ethical in this profession for which the Indian Advocates Act, 1961 is undoubtedly the best guide. I assure the readers to try for reposing people’s faith in Indian justice system. As far as my role as a medium to repose this faith is concerned, I definitely hope to succeed with the help of my colleagues in the legal fraternity. We shall have to work collectively on this matter.