New Delhi, May 18: In a significant victory, senior advocate Kapil Sibal has been elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the fourth time, defeating BJP’s senior advocate Pradeep Rai. Mr. Sibal, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, has a long history with the SCBA, having previously served as its president in 2001 and in two separate stints during the mid and late 1990s. He takes over from the incumbent, senior advocate Adish C. Aggarwala.
The election saw Mr. Sibal securing 1,066 votes, significantly outpacing Mr. Rai, who received 689 votes. The competition also included other notable candidates such as Priya Hingorani, Tripurari Ray, and Neeraj Srivastava. In addition to Mr. Sibal’s victory, Advocate Vikrant Yadav was elected as the SCBA secretary.
The election outcome was welcomed by many, including Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh, who expressed his support on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). He described Mr. Sibal’s victory as “a big win for liberal, secular, democratic, and progressive forces,” highlighting the broader political and ideological implications of the result.
Kapil Sibal’s extensive legal and political experience, combined with his previous leadership roles in the SCBA, positions him as a seasoned figure capable of addressing the pressing issues faced by the association and its members. His return to the presidency is seen as a reinforcement of his enduring influence and commitment to the legal community.
