The Supreme Court on Wednesday continued hearing the long-pending matter relating to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections, with discussions centering on the implementation of election reforms and the eligibility criteria for voting and contesting elections.

During the hearing, the Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Vishwanathan indicated that, since suggestions had already been invited and considerable exercise had been undertaken, one possible course could be to implement the proposed reforms from the present election itself. Several intervening advocates urged the Court to ensure that every member has the right to vote and contest the elections. One counsel specifically requested the Court to consider an application concerning advocates who were denied voting rights due to the proximity card requirement.

Senior Advocate Vikas Singh argued that while the SCBA Rules require 20 appearances for permanent membership, dispensing with the proximity card requirement without appropriately addressing the appearance criterion could unfairly exclude advocates who regularly practise before the Supreme Court but do not satisfy the prescribed proximity-card entries.

Another suggestion placed before the Bench was to constitute the Election Committee comprising three senior advocates, in line with the practice followed in previous SCBA elections. The Court indicated its willingness to consider the proposal.

Towards the end of the hearing, the Court was informed about multiple interlocutory applications relating to the election process, including applications concerning voting rights. Stating that it was hard-pressed for time, the Bench noted the applications and indicated that they would be taken up at a later stage.