By Sanjay Raman Sinha
As the battle for the presidency of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) enters its final and crucial phase, candidates have stepped up their campaign. Ahead of Tuesday’s voting, candidates delivered their presidential speeches, highlighting their agendas and reaching out to voters.
Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai , a prominent contender for SCBA president, said professional advancement, welfare security and institutional reform are at the heart of his campaign in the 2026 elections. Addressing the candidates’ public debate, Rai said his principal priority is to create enhanced professional opportunities for SCBA members by building an institutional framework that helps advocates expand their practice and secure meaningful work before the Supreme Court.
The current presidential battle is witnessing political undercurrents as well, with the BJP propping up its candidate and many seasonal contenders entering the fray and potentially dividing the votes.
Elections earlier had also seen last-minute entries that disrupted the electoral maths and mood. Voting along regional affinities and group interests have always been the subtext of SCBA elections. This year may not be different. But with established stalwarts not in the fray, there is certainly a chance for new leadership to emerge.
Rai is also no stranger to a high-profile SCBA presidential contest. In the 2024 election, he finished runner-up to Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal. Sibal secured 1,066 votes against Rai’s 689. Rai subsequently contested the 2025 election as well, when Senior Advocate Vikas Singh defeated Rai and Senior Advocate Adish C. Aggarwala.
Rai had served as Vice-President for two consecutive terms from 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022 and was associated with several committees dealing with grievance redressal, health, housing, technology and coordination within the Bar.
This makes the 2026 contest particularly significant for Rai. The results of the contest will also underline the kind of leadership style the Bar wants — whether lawyers prefer a person with strong organizational leadership, committed to a robust welfare-oriented agenda, or a more flamboyant head with a mercurial relationship with the Bench.
With voting scheduled for August 18, the final campaign push will be crucial for candidates. Senior Advocates Gaurav Bhatia, Anupam Lal Das, Siddharth Mridul, Sukumar Pattjoshi and Pradeep Rai, are the candidates for the post of SCBA president.
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