It was my firm resolution when I joined the Bar in 1978 that I was not going to be involved in Bar politics – SCBA President, Dushyant Dave

Dushyant Dave has recently been elected as the new President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). In this interview with Bar & Bench, Dave speaks about the changes that he would like to bring for the welfare of the Bar..Two days into his tenure as SCBA President, and it is clear that Dave doesn’t want to waste any time. He has already spent more than seven hours inspecting the Supreme Court premises, the library, talking to his staff and discussing various issues with his colleagues. He says,.“There is a lot of work to be done for the Bar. Most importantly, I am looking at the well-being of the Bar as an institution and its members. In that direction, I want to do many things including how we can enrich the Bar, especially the younger Bar, how we can guide them and how we can help those members of the Bar who are in need of serious help (including financial help).”.Lawyers Welfare Fund.Dave and his team members have already set up a Lawyers Welfare Fund to which Dave has offered to contribute 50 lacs to begin with..“I will perhaps request all the senior members of the Bar to contribute generously to the Fund and also request every member of Bar to contribute a fixed sum. So, if we have a big corpus, then the interest of that corpus alone can cater to the emergent needs of the members of the Bar.”.The main objective of this Fund is to help the needy members of the Bar. Dave says,.“There is a fair number of lawyers who, unfortunately, are not as successful as many others. These members sometimes need help to educate their children, to get their children married and sometimes for medical reasons. So, the Fund will be utilised to help those members.”.The Fund will be strictly monitored and the requests of the members will be very closely scrutinised by an independent group of lawyers. Dave says, .“This idea has been in my mind for a long time and I am sure every sensible lawyer would think in this direction.”.Educational Interactive Programmes.Another of Dave’s plans is to have interactive programs for young lawyers, which will not be confined to law alone, but include economic and business or commercial areas..“I would like to invite experts from various fields so that the young Bar is enriched not just in a lopsided manner looking just at the law; because law has become extremely complex today. I would take the help of some of the leading Seniors to teach young lawyers how to conduct themselves in court and how to present matters. This is becoming a little difficult and as a result of that difficulty, many a times, young lawyers are not able to properly present their cases.”.Participation in legislations.“I also have a big responsibility to see that the rule of law in the nation, particularly the Constitutional morality, is maintained. We must, therefore, involve ourselves in every major legislation which is going to affect the administration of justice directly or indirectly. I would like to have interactive debates first amongst ourselves and then with the government at the highest level, so that we can assist them in bringing about some kind of a consensus in matters. For example, the Judicial Appointment Bill that is proposed and many other amendments which are brought in various legislations where lawyers are not consulted or the Bar Associations really don’t take interest in.”.Relationship between the Bar and the Bench.Dave is very keen to improve the relationship between the Bar and the Bench. He says,.“I have no doubt that the Supreme Court Bench being what it is today, I will be able to have a great understanding with them to help young lawyers. I am also inclined towards interacting with judges with regard to recognition of lawyers, including designation of Seniors.”.Dave also feels that there is lack of communication today between young lawyers who are in the majority, and the Bench. He wants to create a platform where the Bar and the Bench can have a dialogue on a continuous basis so that the Bar can explain its difficulties and problems to the Bench, which will perhaps help in the better handling of cases..“We have lot of issues. For example, we are unable to communicate to the judges about the problems and difficulties with regard to the Registry of the Supreme Court. As a result of that, a lot of lawyers suffer, their work suffers, and consequently, their clients suffer. I would like to better the relationship between us and the Bench.”.Infrastructure.Dave intends to bring about a lot of changes to the existing infrastructure. His first target is to provide a world class library to the members of the Bar, especially an e-library which is easily accessible to members of the Bar..“We have not been investing in our library for a long time, for one reason or the other. So I would really like to do something about the library..I would also like to create a better space for those lawyers who are not fortunate to have either offices within the vicinity of the Supreme Court or chambers in and around Supreme Court. I want to create infrastructural changes within the Supreme Court premises with the help of the Chief Justice and the other judges to provide a decent, nice, non-expensive, clean environment to these people who really need that.”.Contribute to better administration of Justice.“My aim is also to work very closely with the Bench, particularly the Chief Justice, so that we can contribute to better administration of justice and prevent mal-administration of justice. Sometimes, there are serious complaints about the failings of the Registry; failings on the part of a particular judge on the Bench and the conduct of a particular judge towards the Bar are other issues. These are issues with regard to which I would certainly like to interact with the Chief Justice.”.“I would also like to do something from within the institution for quicker disposal of cases because it is difficult to find more judges or better infrastructure, and it is not going to happen in the foreseeable future. So, we need to focus on how to re-marshal the existing resources and how to go about achieving quicker disposal [of cases] so that people can get justice quickly. For this, I would really like to work with the Bench. I have no doubt that the present Chief Justice and all the judges on the Bench, who are outstanding, will be of great help in helping us resolve this [problem].”.“I am not going to be involved in Bar politics”.This is the first time Dushyant Dave has contested SCBA elections. On being asked about this decision, Dave says,.“It was my firm resolution when I joined the Bar in 1978 that I was not going to be involved in Bar politics. But my only thought was to try and contribute as a citizen what I have received from society. So, it is difficult to say what really made me change my decision. I myself am surprised and shocked that I took this decision.”.“I somehow did feel that the Bar, particularly the young lot, was yearning for somebody who could stand up for them and speak for them. Even the senior members of the Bar had this desire for a strong President and a strong Bar. I was waiting for a long time; and this time around when I realised that things were getting out of control and it would be difficult to stop the decline, I decided to try and step in and offer my help.”.Up to the challenge.Dave was absolutely sure from day one that he was going to win this election..“I knew that there is a very strong section of the Bar which has the good of the Bar in its heart and it is this silent group of people, who are not active but who I had seen and had talked to over a long period of time, who were continuously speaking about the decline of the bar..The seniors would speak about the great heights the Bar had achieved 20 to 30 years ago and the youngsters would constantly complain that the Bar was unable to help them in a meaningful way. I, therefore, knew that there was a strong undercurrent which was going on. The Bar wanted to elect somebody in whom they could confide and treat as a friend and who could, perhaps, help them in having a voice with the Bench and with the government to redress their problems..While talking about the support he got from the members of the Bar, he gets rather emotional and says, .“The members of the Bar have given me a mandate which is phenomenal and I can only say that the warmth and the affection that they have showered on me before, during and after the election is immeasurable that it has made me cry several times.”.Dave concludes by saying,.“Since the Bar has reposed confidence in me, I would be greatly disappointed with myself if I am not able to live up to their expectations.”.(You can also read our 2013 interview with Dushyant Dave)