Court seeks input from bar associations on strengthening institutional structure, emphasizing collaboration and suggestions.

ORDER

1. A coordinate bench of this Court by its order dated 16^th July, 2024 had initiated this proceeding by ordering it to be re-captioned as “Re: Strengthening and Enhancing the Institutional Strength of Bar Associations”.

2. The aforesaid order required impleadment of the Bar Council of India, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), the Supreme Court Advocates-on- Record Association (SCAORA), the Bar Councils of all the States through their respective Chairpersons and the High Court Bar Associations through their respective counsels as respondents.

3. It was clarified that if in any particular High Court there are more than one bar association, notice should also be served on the respective Presidents by the Registrars General of such High Courts.

4. Although the matter appears to have been considered by this Court on several occasions post 16th July, 2024, we find that terms of reference are yet to be formulated for an authoritative answer from this Court.

5. We have been addressed by Mr. K. Parameshwar, learned senior counsel/ amicus curiae, Mr. Vipin Nair, learned counsel appointed as the nodal counsel by this Court, Mr. A. Sirajudeen, learned senior counsel for the original petitioners viz. Elephant G. Rajendran & A. Mohandoss, Mr. Nikhil Jain, learned counsel appearing for the SCAORA, Mr. Anand Sanjay M. Nuli, learned senior counsel for the SCBA, Ms. Radhika Gautam, learned counsel for the Bar Council of India, Mr. Vikas Verma, learned counsel for the All District Bar Association, Haryana, Mr. Sandeep Sudhakar Deshmukh, learned counsel for the Advocates’ Association of Western India (AAWI) and other counsel.

6. We have requested them to place before us agreed terms of reference within four weeks.

7. We also request Mr. Nair, learned counsel to have the suggested terms of reference circulated to all the Registrars General of the High Courts so that the same may be further circulated to the Bar Associations of the District and Sub- Divisional Courts within the jurisdiction of each such High Court.

8. It shall be open to such District/Sub-Divisional Courts’ Bar Associations to forward their suggestions/suggested terms to nodalcounsel.scaora@gmail.com which is the relevant email address.

9. Re-list after eight weeks when we propose to consider the suggested terms of reference.