The felicitation event took place at Library 2 in the Supreme Court premises, in the presence of lawyers, members of the Friday Group, and several well-wishers.
NEW DELHI: Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal was honoured on April 9 after raising over Rs. 43 crore for the welfare of lawyers through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This huge effort was carried out under his leadership as the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA).
The felicitation event took place at Library 2 in the Supreme Court premises, in the presence of lawyers, members of the Friday Group, and several well-wishers.
According to the SCBA, a total of Rs. 43,43,50,000 was collected under CSR initiatives as part of Sibal’s commitment during his campaign for the SCBA presidential elections. This fund is meant to provide medical insurance and financial support to advocates across the country. The initiative was highly appreciated, especially by the Friday Group, an academic collective of lawyers practicing in the Supreme Court.
Speaking at the event, Kapil Sibal made it clear that the funds were not for his personal credit, but entirely for the welfare of the legal community.
He said:
“It is for the family (bar).”
He also spoke about the overwhelming support he received from corporate and business leaders, none of whom refused to contribute when asked.
Sibal proudly shared:
“Not a single person said no to me. From Mukesh Ambani to Torrent, just you name it. No friend of mine said no to me.”
He further revealed that they were very close to meeting their original fundraising target of Rs. 50 crore.
“We have Rs. 45 crore in the kitty and by April-end the balance will also come. My aim is to collect Rs. 60 crore.”
Kapil Sibal expressed his long-term vision of building a sustainable medical insurance scheme for advocates that would benefit them throughout their lives.
He said:
“I asked the insurance person what corpus we’d need for a scheme that lasts our whole lives. He said Rs. 120 crore. So, I said to myself if I raise Rs. 60 crore, the Supreme Court should match it.”
To take the plan forward, Sibal mentioned that he had already discussed the matter with the current Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
He shared the CJI’s response with the audience:
“The CJI said he would write to the government to make that happen. Otherwise, we should ask Justice Gavai to issue a writ of mandamus,” he joked, making everyone laugh.
Justice B.R. Gavai is expected to become the next Chief Justice of India after Justice Sanjiv Khanna.
During the event, Advocate G. Seshagiri, founder of the Friday Group, praised the initiative and urged other bar associations across India to follow suit.
“This felicitation has to percolate to respective state and district bars too. Let bar associations do their homework for their respective bars, for their welfare,” he said.
In his closing remarks, Sibal humbly credited the community of lawyers for their role in making the initiative a success.
“There’s nothing to congratulate me for. It’s my duty. I congratulate you for your camaraderie, for your support, for allowing this to happen,” he concluded.
Can CSR Funds Be Used for Advocates?
a) Article 39A – Equal Justice and Free Legal Aid
This article specifically mandates the State to promote justice on the basis of equal opportunity and to provide free legal aid to ensure that justice is not denied due to economic or other disabilities.
CSR funds used to support young advocates, especially those involved in legal aid, pro bono work, or rural legal awareness, align directly with this constitutional goal.
b) Article 38 – Social Justice
Encourages the State to secure a social order for the promotion of the welfare of the people. Supporting the legal community through CSR contributes indirectly to social justice, as advocates are agents of justice delivery.
c) Article 41 – Public Assistance in Cases of Unemployment
This provision urges the State to make effective provisions for securing the right to work and public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, or sickness.
CSR funds for retired, disabled, or unemployed advocates, especially during crises like COVID-19, would reflect this principle.
SCBA President Kapil Sibal
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal has been elected as the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) for the fourth time, securing 1,066 votes in the recently held elections. He defeated his closest rival, Senior Advocate Pradeep Kumar Rai, who received 689 votes, as reported by media.
Sibal had officially announced his candidacy for the SCBA president post on May 8. Other candidates in the race included Priya Hingorani, Tripurari Ray, and Neeraj Srivastava.
This marks Sibal’s return to the SCBA leadership after over two decades. He last served as president in 2001, and had earlier held the post during the 1995-96 and 1997-98 terms.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Sibal has had a distinguished legal career. He was designated as a Senior Advocate in 1983 and served as Additional Solicitor General of India from 1989 to 1990.
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