SC refuses plea against Delhi HC conferring senior designations on 70 lawyers

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a plea against senior designations conferred on 70 lawyers by the Delhi High Court.

The plea came up for hearing before a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.

After the bench said it was not inclined to entertain the plea, the petitioner withdrew it.

The petitioner, who was appearing in person, claimed the process of conferring senior designations on lawyers by the high court was unfair.

The plea challenged the November 29 last year notification by which 70 lawyers were designated senior advocates by the high court.

On January 2, while hearing a separate plea against the conferment of senior designations on lawyers by the high court, the apex court took exception to the "scurrilous and unfounded allegations" made against judges in the petition.

Referring to the averments in the plea, the top court observed it had insinuations against the judges.

The plea alleged the classification of lawyers into two categories and conferring a minority with "favours and privileges" was against the concept of equality and the ethos of the Constitution.

"The instant petition challenges Sections 16 and 23(5) of the Advocates Act which creates two classes of lawyers, senior advocates and other advocates which in actual practice has resulted in an unthinkable catastrophe and inequities which Parliament certainly would not have contemplated or foreseen," it said.