SC notifies new guidelines for designating Senior Advocates, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court notified the "Guidelines for Designation of Senior Advocates by the Supreme Court of India, 2026" on Wednesday.
• These guidelines replace the previous 100-point assessment system for evaluating candidates, as per the May 2025 judgment.
• Eligibility requires 10 years of experience as an advocate or combined standing as an advocate and judge.
• The guidelines emphasize qualitative assessment of a candidate's ability, standing, knowledge, and experience.

Detailed Insights:

• The new guidelines shift the focus from a quantitative scoring system to a more subjective evaluation of an advocate's merits.
• A permanent secretariat will gather information on applicants' reputation, conduct, and integrity before the full court considers their designation.
• The court will primarily aim for consensus in designations, resorting to a secret ballot only in exceptional cases with recorded reasons.
• The full court retains the power to designate lawyers even without a formal application, provided the advocate gives consent.
• Former High Court Chief Justices and Judges are eligible to apply, provided they are not in full-time post-retirement positions and are at least 45 years of age.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Senior Advocate: A title conferred by a High Court or the Supreme Court to recognize distinguished members of the bar.
• Qualitative Assessment: Evaluation based on subjective criteria such as skills, experience, and professional standing.
• Full Court: A meeting of all the judges of a particular court, typically the Supreme Court or a High Court.