PIL in Delhi HC Questions Centre’s Appointment of 650 Lawyers; Alleges Many Haven’t Cleared AIBE
The Delhi High Court has asked the Central government to explain how more than 650 lawyers were selected as Panel Counsel to represent the Union of India before the Supreme Court. The direction came in a PIL filed by the First Generation Lawyers’ Association, which claimed that several newly enrolled advocates on the list have not yet cleared the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), a mandatory requirement to practise law.
A Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela has now posted the matter for December 11. The Court also asked Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma to seek instructions on whether such advocates were indeed empanelled.
The plea argued that the list issued by the Ministry of Law & Justice on November 21 has triggered serious concerns about irregularities, lack of transparency, and the inclusion of advocates with barely one or two years of experience. Some were reportedly enrolled with State Bar Councils only in 2024 or 2025.
The petitioner stated that appointing advocates without adequate experience to argue matters involving constitutional questions and national policy violates Article 14 of the Constitution. It added that previous guidelines required a minimum number of years of practice for inclusion in government panels, and deviations from these norms amount to arbitrary action.
The petition also highlighted that the notification does not outline eligibility criteria, the process for inviting applications, methods of evaluation, or how advocates are assigned to different categories, even though these categories carry varying responsibilities.
During the hearing, the Court asked whether it was true that lawyers with just a year of practice were included in the Supreme Court panel and sought clarity on the criteria used for empanelment.
Central Government Standing Counsel Radhika Dubey argued that the PIL is not maintainable and that the government has complete discretion in choosing its counsel. ASG Sharma later informed the Court that he would verify the allegation regarding lawyers who have not cleared the AIBE.
The matter will be heard next on December 11. The petitioner was represented by advocates Rudra Vikram Singh, Ashirvad Kumar Yadav, Neetu Rani, Rashmi Mehta and Anirudh Tyagi. ASG Chetan Sharma and CGSC Radhika Bishwajit Dubey appeared for the Union of India.
