The Supreme Court has suggested that the Delhi High Court reconstitute its Senior Designation Committee and conduct a fresh review of candidates whose applications were previously rejected or deferred. This recommendation follows a legal challenge to the November 2024 designations, which had sparked internal discord.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan made the proposal while hearing a plea challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to confer senior designations on 70 lawyers last year. The process had involved interviews with 302 candidates. The Supreme Court emphasized that the new assessment should align with the guidelines established in the landmark Indira Jaising ruling.
The controversy deepened when Senior Advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, a member of the permanent selection committee, resigned over claims that the final list was prepared without his approval. Reports indicate that Nandrajog, who represents the Delhi government on the committee, had not signed off on the final selections, allegedly due to an ongoing arbitration. It was further alleged that the final list differed from the one originally agreed upon.
In light of these developments, the Supreme Court has sought responses from both the Delhi High Court and Nandrajog, with the latter submitting his reply in a sealed cover. During the latest hearing, the High Court’s counsel stated that the full court would reconsider the matter, particularly the case of one rejected candidate. However, the petitioner’s lawyer pointed out that 67 applications had been deferred, making the issue broader than initially suggested.
The Supreme Court urged the High Court to resolve the matter independently rather than compelling the top court to scrutinize procedural details. The case has been scheduled for further consideration on April 15.
