SCBA Elections 18: What each candidate said at the Presidential Debate

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) goes to the polls today to elect its President, Vice President, and Secretary. One day ahead of the polls, candidates contesting the election took part in a debate held at the Supreme Court lawns..Each of the seven candidates contesting for the post of President was given five minutes to put forth their views and thoughts before the gathering, and the end of this debate marked the end of canvassing by the candidates..Two of the consistent themes that ran through the speeches made by each of the seven candidates were the provision of chambers and cubicles for the members of the Bar, and social security benefits like mediclaim and insurance facilities for lawyers and their families..Senior Advocate Dr. Adish C Aggarwala said that he would work towards ensuring that no cases are dismissed without being given a hearing, and promised to secure a twenty per cent reservation for Supreme Court Advocates in High Court Judges’ Appointments..He also promised a number of upgrades to various infrastructure facilities like parking space for lawyers and better canteens. He also went on to promise housing complexes for lawyers in Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Gurugram..Advocate PK Jain brought up the issue of physical frisking of lawyers at the Supreme Court entry checkpoints, as well as the Senior designation of lawyers. Jain said that he would work towards coming up with a system wherein physical frisking of lawyers is done away with..As far as Senior designations are concerned, Jain said that he would strive to do away with the interview process for applicants who had 25 years of experience..Senior Advocate Rakesh Kumar Khanna made promises on the issues of electronic infrastructure in the Supreme Court campus, saying that computers equipped with legal journals and other materials will be installed, not only in libraries but also in courtrooms. The strength of mobile and internet reception in the court compound will also be improved, Khanna said..Advocate Ajay Mandiyal began by saying that there exists huge discrimination when it comes to time slots given to lawyers to argue. He promised to attempt to secure equal time slots for argument, for all lawyers..Mandiyal also promised to provide better facilities with respect to parking, valet, lockers, and canteen for all members, and improved facilities for women members of the Bar. He ended by saying that should he get elected, he will not accept a single case and will devote his entire time towards working for the SCBA..Senior Advocate V Shekhar spoke about devising a system for early listing of cases. A system will be evolved wherein a case can be listed within a week’s time on payment of a nominal fee, Shekhar said..The interaction between the Bar and the Bench will be in the form of a dialogue and there will be no confrontation, Shekhar promised the voters..Senior Advocate and the incumbent President of the SCBA Vikas Singh, who was the penultimate speaker in the Presidential debate, recounted the achievements of the SCBA under his Presidency and promised to continue working in the same direction..Singh, who claimed to feel like the ‘Karta’ of the huge SCBA family, also said that the Association will work towards upholding the dignity of the Bar as well as the institution. Singh said that this was demonstrated when the SCBA held a press conference of its own after the Judges’ Press Conference of January 12, 2018..Singh also recalled the steps taken by the SCBA towards ensuring social security for the members of the Bar, as well as the efforts of the SCBA in providing aid to Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which were terribly affected by floods this year..The seventh and last speaker, Senior Advocate Ajit Kumar Sinha, began by asserting that the election must be contested based on merit, and not on the amount of money involved..Taking a direct jibe at Vikas Singh, Sinha said that he too has held a post in the SCBA in the past but will “not blow his own trumpet” or assert everything the SCBA achieved when he held a post..However, he immediately followed that up by recounting the achievements of the SCBA during his previous tenure. Sinha also added that promises vis-à-vis reservation for elevation cannot be achieved without a change in the procedure and guidelines to that effect..The debate was moderated by the Election Committee of the SCBA comprising Senior Advocates Shekhar Naphade, Chander Uday Singh, and Amarendra Sharan.