The Supreme Court has relaxed certain eligibility conditions for advocates seeking designation as Senior Advocates, allowing earlier applicants to reapply sooner, as a one-time measure.

In a notice dated February 19, 2026, the Court modified its earlier notice of February 12, 2026, inviting applications for designation as Senior Advocate. The decision was taken by the Full Court in its meeting held on the same day.

The relaxation follows representations made by the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association.

As per the notice, the Full Court resolved to relax the conditions prescribed under paras 9(iv), 21 and 22 of the ‘Guidelines for Designation of Senior Advocates by the Supreme Court of India, 2026’. Under the modified regime, advocates whose applications were not considered favourably by the Full Court will now be eligible to apply afresh after the expiry of one year, instead of the earlier prescribed period of two years.

Further, advocates whose cases were deferred by the Full Court have been permitted to apply afresh irrespective of the restriction of a one-year cooling-off period.

The notice clarifies that the relaxation has been granted strictly as a one-time measure, and that the notice dated February 12, 2026, inviting applications for designation as Senior Advocate, stands modified to the above extent.