BAR: Supreme Court Bar Association and Advocates-on-Record Association Call for Restrictions on Interns to Combat Overcrowding

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) urged restrictions on law interns' access to the Supreme Court premises due to overcrowding concerns. SCBA Secretary Vikrant Yadav addressed the letter to the Supreme Court's Secretary General, noting that the new online pass system has significantly increased the number of interns, causing congestion in areas like libraries, canteens, and corridors. The SCBA highlighted the adverse effects on its members, pointing out the lack of sufficient seating. To address these issues, the SCBA called for immediate restrictions on interns in the high-security Supreme Court compound.

“Since the Supreme Court has extended online facilities, physical attendance by interns may be restricted,”

Similarly, on July 24, the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) echoed these concerns in a letter to the Secretary General of the Supreme Court. SCAORA Secretary Nikhil Jain emphasized that many interns, rather than gaining educational experience, occupy essential spaces, making it difficult for bar members to use facilities and navigate the premises.

To mitigate these issues, SCAORA proposed several measures:

1. Allowing each Advocate on Record to bring only one intern per day.

2. Completely restricting intern entry on Wednesdays or Thursdays after lunch.

3. Allocating a designated space for interns to store belongings, conduct research, or have lunch during court hours.