Plea challenging designation of lawyers as senior advocates dismissed by Supreme Court
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition challenging the designation of lawyers as senior advocates, saying the mechanism to grant the designation was not arbitrary.
A bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, while delivering its verdict on a plea filed by advocate Mathews J Nedumpara and seven others, said the writ petition was a "misadventure", largely of Nedumpara, "in continuation of some of his past misadventures".
"If one may say the indulgence to the junior members of the bar, in a sense, is more than a senior member because it is also a part of the duty of the bench to help in the evolution of the bar," Justice Kaul said while pronouncing the judgement.
"We have thus not the slightest hesitation in coming to the conclusion that the writ petition is a misadventure, largely of petitioner number one (Nedumpara), in continuation of some of his past misadventures," the bench said, while dismissing the plea.
The apex court said it appeared that judgements and orders passed earlier by the court do not seem to have any salutary effect on petitioner number one for self-introspection.
The petitioners had challenged sections 16 and 23 (5) of the Advocates Act, 1961, claiming these "creates two classes of lawyers, senior advocates and other advocates, which in actual practice has resulted in unthinkable catastrophe and inequities which Parliament certainly would not have contemplated or foreseen".
While section 16 of the Advocates Act pertains to senior and other advocates, section 23 (5) says senior advocates shall have pre-audience over other lawyers and their right of pre-audience inter se shall be determined by their respective seniority.
The plea had claimed that designation of lawyers as senior advocates, which is "creating a special class of advocates with special rights, privileges and status not available to ordinary advocates, is unconstitutional, being violative of the mandate of equality under Article 14 ".
Earlier in March 2019, the apex court had sentenced Nedumpara to three months in jail for contempt of court and attempting to "browbeat" judges but suspended the sentence after taking note of the unconditional apology tendered by him.
The top court had barred the advocate from practising before it for a year.
While hearing the plea against the senior advocate designation, the bench had in March this year referred to its 2017 verdict that had laid down guidelines for itself and high courts to govern the exercise of designating lawyers as senior advocates.
The verdict, which had come out with a slew of guidelines, said, "All matters relating to designation of senior advocates in the Supreme Court and all the high courts of the country shall be dealt with by a permanent committee to be known as 'Committee for Designation of Senior Advocates'."
The panel will be headed by the Chief Justice and consist of the two senior-most judges of the apex court or high court(s), as may be, and the Attorney General or the Advocate General of a state in case of a high court, it had said.
On giving the Bar a representation, it had said, "The four members of the permanent committee will nominate another member of the Bar to be the fifth member of the permanent committee."
The apex court had delivered another judgment in May on applications seeking certain modifications in the guidelines.
It had said the process of designating 'senior advocate', which has always been held as an "honour conferred", should be carried out at least once a year.
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Karnataka offers extensive incentives in its proposed IT policy
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka has proposed a new Information Technology Policy for 2025–2030, offering extensive financial and non-financial incentives aimed at accelerating investments, strengthening innovation and expanding the state's tech footprint beyond Bengaluru.
The Karnataka Cabinet gave its nod to the policy 2025–2030 with an outlay of Rs 445.50 crore on Thursday after the Finance Department accorded its approval.
The policy introduces 16 incentives across five enabler categories, nine of which are entirely new, with a distinctive push to support companies setting up or expanding in emerging cities.
Alongside financial support, the government is also offering labour-law relaxations, round-the-clock operational permissions and industry-ready human capital programmes to make Karnataka a globally competitive 'AI-native' destination.
According to the policy, units located outside Bengaluru will gain access to a wide suite of benefits, including research and development and IP creation incentives, internship reimbursements, talent relocation support and recruitment assistance.
The benefits also include EPF reimbursement, faculty development support, rental assistance, certification subsidies, electricity tariff rebates, property tax reimbursement, telecom infrastructure support, and assistance for events and conferences.
Bengaluru Urban will receive a focused set of six research and development and talent-oriented incentives, while Indian Global Capability Centres (GCCs) operating in the state will be brought under the incentive net.
Incentive caps and eligibility thresholds have been raised, and the policy prioritises growth-focused investments for both new and expanding units.
Beyond incentives, the government focuses on infrastructure and innovation interventions.
A flagship proposal in the policy is the creation of Techniverse -- integrated, technology-enabled enclaves developed through a public-private partnership model inside future Global Innovation Districts.
These campuses will offer plug-and-play facilities, artificial intelligence and machine learning and cybersecurity labs, advanced testbeds, experience centres, and disaster-resistant command centres.
There will also be a Statewide Digital Hub Grid and a Global Test Bed Infrastructure Network, linking public and private research and development, and innovation facilities across Karnataka.
The government has proposed a Women Global Tech Missions Fellowship for 1,000 mid-career women technologists, an IT Talent Return Programme to absorb experienced professionals returning from abroad, and broad-based skill and faculty development reimbursements.
Shared corporate transport routes in Bengaluru and tier-two cities will be designed with Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation and other transport entities to support worker mobility.
The government said the policy is the outcome of an extensive research and consultation process involving TCS, Infosys, Wipro, IBM, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, HP, Google, Accenture and NASSCOM, along with sector experts and stakeholder groups.
It estimates an outlay of Rs 967.12 crore over five years, comprising Rs 754.62 crore for incentives and Rs 212.50 crore for interventions such as Techniverse campuses, digital grid development, global outreach missions and talent programmes.
