The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has initiated a review into allegations of favouritism and nepotism concerning the recent designation of 76 lawyers as Senior Advocates by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. These allegations suggest that several deserving candidates were overlooked while less qualified individuals were granted the prestigious title.
On October 20, 2025, the High Court conferred the Senior Advocate title upon 76 lawyers. Out of 210 applicants who had applied for the designation in 2024, a committee, after interacting with eligible candidates, shortlisted 64 advocates. This list was subsequently approved by the Full Court. Additionally, the Full Court voted to include 12 more applicants, bringing the total number to 76.
In response to the concerns raised, the Bar Council convened an extraordinary meeting to discuss the procedures followed by the High Court in granting these designations. During the meeting, it was noted that various complaints had been received alleging that the proper procedure was not adhered to in finalizing the list. The allegations pointed to favoritism and nepotism, with claims that several meritorious candidates had been excluded while many non-deserving candidates were designated as Senior Advocates.
While no conclusive decision was reached during the meeting, the Bar Council resolved to seek specific information from the High Court before taking any further action. The information requested includes details about the procedure adopted for the selection and designation of Senior Advocates, whether the process was carried out according to the old or new rules, and in consonance with the judgment in the Indira Jaising case. The Bar Council also sought information about the marks awarded to individual candidates, the criteria adopted for evaluation, and whether these marks were published before being placed before the Full Court. Additionally, the Bar Council inquired whether any candidates who had neither filed nor appeared in any case in recent years were considered for designation. Other queries included whether the notification inviting applications was circulated among the District and Sub-Division Bar Associations and whether any criteria were adopted for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women.
The Bar Council emphasized its duty to safeguard the rights, privileges, and interests of advocates enrolled on its rolls, in accordance with Section 6(d) of the Advocates Act, 1961. The meeting was attended by 22 members, with one member dissenting against the proceedings.
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