‘We All Are Coparceners’: CJI Surya Kant, SG Tushar Mehta’s Light-Hearted Exchange With SCBA President Pradeep Rai
Pradeep Rai was elected SCBA President as Rahul Kaushik became Vice President in the 2026 elections
Newly elected Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President, Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai has assured the Supreme Court Bench of the Bar’s continued cooperation and constructive engagement with the judiciary, while acknowledging the guidance extended by the Court.
During an interaction with the Bench, Rai said the guidance of the Judges was “very precious” for the Bar and assured that the SCBA would abide by such guidance.
Describing the Supreme Court as a source of institutional mentorship, Rai said that whenever the Bar faced an issue, its members would approach the Judges, place their concerns before them and raise their demands at the appropriate forum.
Rai, however, clarified that the occasion was not the appropriate forum to raise the Bar’s demands, while reiterating the SCBA’s commitment to extending cooperation to the Bench. He said, "We are here for better coordination between the Bar and the Bench. If there is anything that ever compromises the institution, we are always there for that. Whatever the legitimate expectations of the Bar are, as a family, we will always take care of them.”
The exchange then took a lighter turn when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta intervened.
Responding to Rai’s reference to the Judges as “fatherly figures”, Mehta observed that the Judges could not necessarily be described in those terms and drew an analogy from Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) law.
“If I may say on one point, the Lordships are not that old that your Lordships can be a fatherly figure. The Lordships are karta of the HUF,” Mehta remarked.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant then completed the analogy, observing: “We all are coparceners.”
The CJI also said, "All the best wishes to the President-elect. We hope that the newly elected officials will lead the Bar by example. We hope that you help the Bar members establish themselves in the legal profession. Your guidance is precious for the Bar members.”
The brief exchange reflected the collegial interaction between the Bench and the Bar, with Rai reiterating the SCBA’s commitment to institutional cooperation and constructive engagement.
Rai’s remarks came shortly after he took charge as President of the SCBA and underscored his emphasis on dialogue and institutional propriety while preserving the Bar’s role in articulating the professional concerns of advocates.
The results of the SCBA elections were declared last night, with Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai elected as President and Senior Advocate Rahul Kaushik as Vice President. Advocates Pragya Baghel, Muneesh Dubey and Reepak Kansal were elected Secretary, Joint Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.