The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that the next edition of the yearly Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections should be held on May 20, 2025 [Supreme Court Bar Association v. BD Kaushik and related matters]..The Bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan passed the direction in a case concerning SCBA electoral reforms. The term of the existing SCBA executive committee, which is led by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, is due to get over on May 19, the Court noted. "Election of officer bearers of SCBA and executive committee members shall be held on May 20, 2025. Election shall be held on the basis of the voter list which was prepared for the year 2024," the Court proceeded to order. .The counting of votes should also start on May 20, and the election results are to be declared on May 21, the Court added. Senior Advocates Pavani Mahalakshmi, Jitendra Mohan Sharma and Vijay Hansaria have been appointed as election officers. .During earlier hearings, the Court had ordered that one-third of posts in the SCBA's executive committee (EC) should be reserved for women. Today, the Court said that this reservation will continue. The Secretary post shall also be earmarked for women candidates, the Court ordered. "We have also taken into consideration the sentiments of the bar association. It is directed that for the elections of 2025-26, the post of Secretary of SCBA shall be reserved for woman candidate and 1/3rd seats in executive committee, that is 3 out of 9, shall be for women candidates," it said. .The Court further took on record a report submitted by former Supreme Court judge, retired Justice Nageswara Rao, who suggested various reforms for SCBA elections. The Bench observed that it cannot impose the reforms suggested in this report yet, without first hearing what all stakeholders have to say on the proposed reforms. "So if election is held before that, it will be without any recommendations, same tenure, etc," the Bench observed. The Court, however, made it clear that it will not entertain any challenge to the report's eventual enforcement. At most, it will only only examine whether any of the suggestions should be modified, the Court said. "Justice Nageswara Rao has prepared report on our request. We have to give full respect to it and we will not permit the bar to sit on it. Final decision is on us and on us only. Don't try to make anyone subservient to your general body etc. Yes, if there are issues with the bar, etc., that we will consider."This aspect was reflected in today's order as well. "We direct: 1. Report by Justice Nageswara Rao shall be uploaded on the SCBA website. 2. No challenge to such report shall be entertained. However, a request can be made for modification, etc," the Court's order said. .The application on which today's order was passed was filed by Advocate Yogamaya MG. She was represented by Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta and Advocate Sriram Parakkat.Senior Advocates Adish C Aggarwala and Vikas Singh also appeared in the matter today. .[Read Live Coverage]
