Senior Advocate Adish C Aggarwala Raises Issue Of Political Involvement In SCBA Elections

The outgoing President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Senior Advocate Dr Adish C Aggarwala, has expressed concern over the active involvement of political parties in the just-concluded SCBA elections.

In a letter to the next President of the SCBA, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, Dr Aggarwala has said it would be prudent if, as President of the SCBA, Kapil Sibal ensured that the Bar remains completely apolitical and remains non-partisan.

"In my public interviews, I did not mince my words while criticising the involvement of political parties in this election. This is the first time that political parties have actively engaged in the presidential elections of the SCBA. This reflects very poorly on our legal system. Once political parties become involved at the level of the Supreme Court Bar Association, they will eventually get involved with all Bar Associations in India. Once there is division of lawyers on political lines in our Bar Associations, we will no longer be able to protect the interests of the members of the Bar," Dr Aggarwala told New SCBA President Kapil Sibal.

Congratulating the former Union Law Minister on his landslide victory. Dr Aggarwala pointed out that while the Congress and its allies "openly decided to support" him, the BJP supported another candidate, Senior Advocate Pradeep Kumar Rai, Adish Aggarwala claimed.

Dr. Aggarwala also pointed to the fact that after his election, Mr. Kapil Sibal received congratulatory messages on X from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

While Jai Ramesh wrote, "Kapil Sibal has just been elected as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association by a landslide. This is a big win for liberal, secular, democratic and progressive forces."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote on X: “His [Kapil Sibal's] victory ensures that the independence of the bar and our constitutional values are in safe hands. We are confident in his leadership to uphold justice and democratic principles that the people of India cherish deeply.”

The outgoing President, who had defeated several heavy lawyers like senior advocate Dushyant Dave, former Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and former Additional Solicitor General Rakesh Khanna in the last elections, also pointed to the fact that the new SCBA Executive will have a tenure of two and a half years due to Delhi High Court order in Lalit Sharma & others vs Union of India.

He also asked Kapil Sibal to immediately move to bring amendments in voting rights in SCBA elections.

"It is for your good self to take matter further from here in the Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No 3401/2003 titled Supreme Court Bar Association vs B.D. Kaushik, which is pending before the Supreme Court and is listed on 15.7.2024. I, however, assure you of my full cooperation in bringing about any change that democratically empowers the members of SCBA, recognising the value of each one of them," he said.

Saying as President of the SCBA, he always worked towards protecting the "Independence of the Bar and our constitutional values" Dr Aggarwala said he did so not only from a vested interest group of lawyers but also from the Judiciary.

"I confidently assert that I, being the President of the apex bar, protected the Independence of the Bar and our constitutional values not only from vested interest group of lawyers but also from the Judiciary. I may point out that I even penned a letter to the Hon'ble CJI, while welcoming the judgement of quashing the scheme, pointing out the procedural irregularity committed in the Electoral Bonds case," Dr Aggarwala said.

He also said that since the rich and affluent members of the Bar were not forthcoming in support of the young and needy lawyers, it was incumbent upon him to get the life and medical insurance schemes from the Govt.

"As the affluent members of the Bar were not forthcoming to help the junior lawyers during my tenure as President of SCBA, I was compelled to approach the Central Government to release grants. Upon my request, the Hon'ble Union Minister for Law & Justice announced that the government will provide life and medical insurance to lawyers," Dr Aggarwala who is also the Chairman of the All India Bar Association, pointed out.

He urged new SCBA President Kapil Sibal to come good on his plans to get the big corporates to assist young and needy lawyers through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.

(ANI)