HC designation of senior advocates under shadow

SENIOR ADVOCATE NANDRAJOG SAID THE LIST WAS SENT TO HIM FOR A POST-FACTO SIGNATURE WHILE HE WAS AWAY ON OTHER DUTIES

- Utkarsh Anand and Shruti Kakkar

The process to designate senior advocates in the Delhi high court has plunged into controversy, with a key member of the permanent committee refusing to sign the final list of lawyers slated for the prestigious title, claiming that the decision was never finalized, and the list was sent ahead without his consent.

This unprecedented development casts a shadow over the process and the eventual notification of the designations of 70 lawyers, coinciding with the impending elevation of Delhi high court chief justice Manmohan to the Supreme Court.

The refusal of a committee member to endorse the list has thrown its validity into question.

The controversy erupted a day after the Delhi high court reportedly cleared 70 lawyers for senior advocate designation, marking the culmination of a selection process that included interviews of 302 candidates.

However, senior advocate Sudhir Nandrajog, a member of the six-member permanent committee responsible for the selection, told HT on Saturday that he refused to sign the final list, alleging procedural lapses.