SC reserves order in state HC Senior Designation Rules

SHILLONG: The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgment in a petition challenging the Meghalaya High Court Senior Designation Rules.
During the hearing before a bench of justices Ranjan Gogoi, Rohinton Nariman and Navin Sinha, Attorney General KK Venugopal submitted, “There was a time when our profession was known as a noble profession but over the years I am afraid that we have forgotten our roots.”
He said in his opinion, the court should lay down uniform guidelines which would be followed by all high courts. He then submitted that certain High Courts – Sikkim being one of them – have designated lawyers who have never seen the Court as Senior Advocates.
Senior Advocate Soli Sarabjee, appearing for one of the respondents, submitted that the fact that a person does not practise regularly should also be taken into consideration for elevation as a Senior Advocate.
Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, appearing for the High Court of Meghalaya, also agreed with Sorabjee’s argument.
The court then asked him, “Why is the Full Court (of the Meghalaya High Court) specifically amending the rules?” The Bench then commented that the Full Court must only do so in an appropriate case. It then reserved its judgment in the case.