"No intention to cast aspersion on High Court lawyers:" SCBA President Vikas Singh clears the air

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh has clarified that his statement on Supreme Courts lawyers being more "meritorious" than their High Court counterparts was only for the limited purpose of ensuring consideration of Supreme Court lawyers for appointment as High Court judges and there was no intention to cast any aspersion on competence of High Court lawyers. .The clarification was issued on Sunday after Singh's June 8 letter had caused an uproar from various High Court bar associations across the country which took objection to Singh's comment in the letter. "Reference to Supreme Court lawyers being 'more meritorious' in my letter to the Chief Justice of India was for the limited purpose of ensuring their consideration for elevation by the High Court collegiums on equal footing basis and there was no intention whatsoever to cast any aspersion on the lawyers practicing in different High Courts," Singh said in his clarification. Singh had, through a communication to SCBA members on June 8, 2021, claimed that CJI Ramana had agreed to a request by them to consider elevating Supreme Court lawyers as High Court judges.One of the statements in the letter had, however, caused great disaffection among other bar associations. "Inspite of having vast experience and exposure in dealing with all kinds of issues relating to civil, criminal, constitutional, commercial law, etc., the lawyers practicing in the Supreme Court are rarely considered for elevation by the High Court collegium as they do not regularly practice before the High Court and while being professionally more meritorious than their colleagues at the High Court, loose the opportunity for being considered as such," Singh's June 8 communication said..Karnataka lawyer asks SCBA President Vikas Singh to withdraw comment on Supreme Court lawyers being more "meritorious" than High Court lawyers.The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) had written to the Chief Justice of India, NV Ramana raising objection to the same..The DHCBA expressed its disapproval of the comment made by the President of the SCBA stating that lawyers practicing in the apex court are more meritorious than their colleagues practicing before the High Courts.“It is a disturbing and matter of grave concern to have lawyers practicing in the Supreme Court alone be considered a separate class of Advocates to be considered for such distinction. There is no dearth of talented, competent and meritorious lawyers practicing in all the High Courts in the country and in the Courts subordinate to the High Courts,” it said.."No dearth of talented, competent, meritorious lawyers in High Courts:" DHCBA writes to CJI NV Ramana against SCBA proposal.The Advocates Association, Bangalore, and the Bar Association of Calcutta High Court had also taken objection to the same and written to Singh and CJI Ramana expressing their displeasure. .However in an attempt to assuage the situation, Singh has now stated that the letter was intended only to get an equal opportunity for lawyers practicing before the Supreme Court to be considered for elevation to the Bench in High Courts. "As such, the words used in the communique was only to stress the point in favour of having a transparent and robust system in place for consideration of our lawyers," Singh said in his clarification. .Singh in his clarification, however, maintained that every lawyer practicing in India should be considered for elevation on the basis of merit alone no matter where he/ she practices.