SCBA President Urges CJI for Collegium Reforms, Calls for Transparent Judicial Appointments

Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), has called on Chief Justice BR Gavai for urgent reforms in judicial appointments, highlighting structural flaws in the collegium system.

His letter stresses the need for a transparent, equitable framework replacing the current collegium mechanism, which marginalises Supreme Court Bar talent and lacks diversity.

The SCBA proposed creating an independent secretariat, adopting application-based selection, publishing clear eligibility criteria, and introducing accountability mechanisms.

The letter cited the 2016 judgment in Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India, emphasising that judicial elevations must be guided by merit, integrity, and constitutional principles.