Senior advocate Kapil Sibal elected as SCBA president after 20 years

A University of Delhi and Harvard Law School graduate, this is the fourth time that Sibal has been elected as SCBA president. Once a senior Congress leader, Sibal has held several posts in his illustrious career including as the Additional Solicitor General of India during 1989-90.

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He was designated as a senior advocate in 1983. Between 1995 and 2002, the former minister in the Congress-led UPA government served three times as SCBA president.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Friday congratulated Sibal on being elected as the president of the SCBA.

“Mr Sibal, heartiest congratulations on our behalf for being elected as the president of the SCBA. We look forward towards your cooperation and (that of) the members of the executive committee,” the CJI said while holding a ceremonial bench.

Thanking the CJI, Sibal said, “It is my honour that after 22 years, I have been given this opportunity to serve the bar. From our side, you will have complete cooperation and that’s our commitment to the bench. It is through this cooperation that we can take the agenda forward.”

The apex court had earlier directed that some posts in the executive committee of the SCBA be reserved for women members.

A bench of justices Surya Kant and KV Vishwanathan had said it was of the view that the SCBA is a premier institution and is an integral part of the highest judicial forum of the country. It had directed that there shall be reservation for women members of the Bar.

The bench had said in the upcoming 2024-2025 SCBA polls, the post of treasurer of the executive committee be reserved for women.

Several leaders including Congress’Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee congratulated Kapil Sibal on his victory.

On Sibal getting elected to the post of SCBA president, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted in X, “Kapil Sibal has just been elected as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association by a landslide. This is a big win for liberal, secular, democratic, and progressive forces.”

Kapil Sibal has just been elected as President of the Supreme Court Bar Association by a landslide.

This is a big win for liberal, secular, democratic, and progressive forces. This is also, in the outgoing PM's words, a trailer for the changes that will happen very soon…

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 16, 2024

“This is also, in the outgoing PM’s words, a trailer for the changes that will happen very soon nationally. The soon-to-be former regime’s legal drumbeaters and cheerleaders must be shocked,” he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to X to say, “Your win with support from all of us in this important body in our legal world makes us proud.”

Congratulations Kapil Sibal Ji @KapilSibal for winning the Supreme Court Bar Association Presidency by landslide margin ! Your win with support from all of us in this important body in our legal world makes us proud. Keep on fighting your battles for democracy for all of us!

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 16, 2024

(Edited by Neena with PTI inputs)