The Supreme Court on Tuesday (December 9) declined to entertain a contempt petition filed against the Delhi High Court for allegedly failing to promptly reconsider applications for designation as Senior Advocates, which had been rejected or deferred in November last year.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed the plea, noting that the High Court’s committee is already addressing the matter.

The CJI remarked:
“We do not expect members of the Bar to generate litigation. Please refrain from filing such petitions. The Chief Justice’s committee is aware of the issue.”

Background

The petitioner alleged that the Delhi High Court had not complied with the Supreme Court’s April 15 order issued by a bench of Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, which directed a fresh assessment of the deferred or rejected applications under The High Court of Delhi Designations of Senior Advocates Rules, 2024.

The April ruling was issued while dealing with multiple writ petitions challenging the Delhi High Court’s November 29, 2024 notification, which granted senior designation to 70 advocates, while placing 67 others on a “Deferred List” citing procedural irregularities.

Contempt plea details

The present contempt plea was moved by Advocate Sanjay Dubey, who himself was among those denied senior designation. His petition forms part of the litigation in Raman alias Raman Gandhi v. Registrar General, High Court of Delhi & Anr, where the Supreme Court had earlier issued the directions now alleged to be unimplemented.

The Supreme Court, however, found no grounds to continue the proceedings and disposed of the contempt plea.

Case Title: Sanjay Dubey v. The Full Reference of the Hon’ble Judges of the High Court of Delhi
Diary No.: 60527/2025