The contest for the post of President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has intensified with former Manipur High Court Chief Justice and Senior Advocate Siddharth Mridul filing his nomination for the 2026 elections.

Mridul launched his campaign with the slogan “No promises, only work”, signalling a focus on performance and professional work as he seeks to lead the Supreme Court Bar.

The SCBA elections are scheduled to be held later this month and, following recent judicial proceedings concerning electoral reforms, the 2026 election will be conducted under the existing electoral framework.

Siddharth Mridul's Legal and Judicial Career

Designated as a Senior Advocate in 2006, Mridul has had an extensive career spanning litigation, Bar administration and the judiciary.

He served as Standing Counsel and Senior Panel Counsel for the Union Government and was elected twice to the Bar Council of Delhi. During his tenure there, he served as Honorary Secretary and subsequently as Vice-Chairman.

Mridul was later appointed as a Judge of the Delhi High Court and subsequently became the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.

After retiring from the Bench, he returned to legal practice.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court appointed Mridul as Chairperson of a High-Powered Election Committee entrusted with overseeing elections to certain State Bar Councils.

Who Else Is Contesting for SCBA President?

The presidential race has attracted several other prominent Senior Advocates of the Supreme Court Bar.

Senior Advocate Anupam Lal Das has filed his nomination, with his candidature proposed by Senior Advocates Shekhar Naphade and Ratnakar Dash.

Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, former Secretary of the SCBA and a prominent member of the Bar, has also entered the contest. His nomination is backed by Senior Advocates K.K. Venugopal, Rakesh Dwivedi and Ranjit Kumar.

Other Senior Advocates who have entered or announced their candidature for the SCBA presidency include:

• Mahalakshmi Pavani
• Sukumar Pattjoshi
• Adish Aggarwala
• Pradeep Rai

The entry of multiple prominent candidates has set the stage for a high-profile contest for the leadership of the Supreme Court Bar.

2026 Election to Be Held Under Existing Rules

The election assumes significance against the backdrop of months of litigation concerning SCBA electoral reforms, particularly proposed changes relating to voter eligibility and the tenure of office-bearers.

The Supreme Court last month decided that the proposed reforms would be deferred until the 2027-28 election cycle. Accordingly, the 2026 SCBA elections will be held under the existing rules.

The Court has also directed that the election process be completed within the schedule notified by the Election Committee, with the newly elected office-bearers to assume charge thereafter.

With several leading figures of the Supreme Court Bar now in the fray, the SCBA Presidential Election 2026 is shaping up as a closely watched contest, with the legal fraternity keenly tracking the candidates, their priorities and the future direction of the Association.