A complaint has been made against Kapil Sibal for not backing the SCBA’s resolution that opposes the opening of a museum in the high-security area of the Supreme Court.

In a letter to Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, the former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Dr. Adish C. Aggarwala, expressed worries about Sibal’s perceived lack of support for SCBA members. Aggarwala criticized Sibal for not backing a recent resolution that calls for a boycott of the Supreme Court Museum’s inauguration on November 7, 2024. This morning, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud opened the National Judicial Museum and Archive, which is located where the Old Judges’ Library once stood. The resolution, which Sibal did not sign, has the support of 17 out of 21 members of the SCBA Executive Committee. It opposes the museum’s location in a high-security area and suggests that the space should be used for a library and lounge/café for SCBA members instead. The resolution argues that these facilities would better meet the needs of bar members, especially since the current cafeteria is insufficient. Dr. Aggarwala pointed out that as SCBA President, Sibal should have led this initiative but did not take action or sign the resolution.

Seventeen respected members of the Executive Committee of the Supreme Court Bar Association, out of a total of 21, have signed a resolution stating their strong objection and concern. They highlight that, despite a unanimous resolution from the SCBA Executive Committee on October 24, 2024, requesting the vacant space from the former judges’ library—now being moved to the Additional Building complex—to be allocated for a library and cafe/lounge for Bar members, a function for the inauguration of the proposed Supreme Court Museum is scheduled for November 7, 2024, at 10 am. This event is being organized even though their request is still under consideration, as noted in Dr. Aggarwala’s letter.

Dr. Aggarwala contended that Sibal’s early endorsement of a distinct resolution on October 24, which criticized the Supreme Court’s new emblem and the statue of Lady Justice, indicated a misalignment with the priorities of SCBA members. He suggested that Sibal’s actions seemed to be driven by political motives rather than a genuine effort to secure essential amenities for SCBA members. Consequently, the Supreme Court Bar Association has resolved to boycott the aforementioned function and has reiterated its demand for the allocation of the vacant space to the SCBA for the establishment of a library and café/lounge for its members. Furthermore, it insists that all significant decisions regarding the Bar and the Supreme Court Complex should be made in consultation with the Supreme Court Bar Association. The letter pointed out that, as the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, it was your responsibility to advance the aforementioned resolution; however, rather than doing so, you have not even signed it, indicating a lack of interest in providing our members with the necessary facilities of a lounge/café and library.

Additionally, Dr. Aggarwala claimed that Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and the Secretary General of the SCBA had previously consented to allocate a vacant block on the Supreme Court premises to the SCBA for the intended facilities. Nevertheless, the formal allocation did not materialize due to changes in SCBA leadership. He urged Sibal to place the needs of SCBA members above what he described as personal and political interests, highlighting the necessity of fulfilling the SCBA’s role as a vital stakeholder in the administration of justice. It is noteworthy that in a resolution dated November 6, 2024, the SCBA Executive Committee (EC) reaffirmed its demand for the allocation of the vacant high-security space to the SCBA for the creation of a library and café/lounge for bar members, rather than a museum. The EC resolution underscored the inadequacy of the current cafeteria facilities and stressed the bar’s requirement for a dedicated library and lounge space.

The Supreme Court Bar Association has decided to boycott the event and emphasizes its request for the Vacant Space to be given to the SCBA for a Library and café/lounge for its members. It also insists that all significant decisions regarding the Bar and the Supreme Court Complex should involve the SCBA. The Election Committee noted that a similar unanimous resolution was passed on October 24, 2024, which the Supreme Court administration has not yet addressed. This earlier resolution showed the SCBA’s discontent with the plan to turn the old Judges’ Library into a museum, stating that the needs of bar members should come first in the Supreme Court Complex. The resolution was endorsed by key SCBA figures, including Vice President Rachna Srivastava, Treasurer Sasmita Tripathy, Joint Treasurer Susheel Kumar Tomar, and Senior Advocates Arijit Prasad, Jayant Bhushan, Sanjay M. Nuli, Sonia Mathur, and Shobha Gupta. Additional support came from EC members Vikas Bansal, Nandini Gupta, Mukesh Kumar Singh, Ashish Kumar Sinha, Shashank Shekhar, Anil Nishani, Yogamaya M.G., Jyoti Prasar, and Rachna Gandhi.