Delhi High Court Designates 85 Lawyers as Senior Advocates, Including 11 Women [Full List]

In a major development for the national capital’s legal fraternity, the Delhi High Court has conferred the prestigious “Senior Advocate” designation on 85 lawyers. Notably, 11 of the designated advocates are women, marking a significant step forward for gender representation in the upper echelons of the Delhi Bar.

The formal announcement was made via official Notification No. 944/SAS/DHC, dated July 9, 2026, issued by Registrar General Arun Bhardwaj. The decision was finalized during a Full Court meeting of the High Court on Thursday evening.

According to the notification, Hon’ble the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, acting on the resolution passed by the Full Court, designated these 85 advocates as “Senior Advocates” under Section 16(2) of the Advocates’ Act, 1961.

Evaluation Process

The final list of 85 was carved out of a highly competitive pool. A total of 231 candidates had submitted applications for the coveted senior gown.

The selection process was conducted under strict regulatory frameworks:

1. Initial Screening & Grading: The Committee for Designation of Senior Advocates assessed and scored all 231 candidates based on their litigation experience, reported judgments, legal acumen, pro-bono work, and overall contribution to the bar.
2. Shortlisting: Following this grading process, sources revealed that 86 of the 231 candidates successfully met the qualifying criteria established for senior designation.
3. Full Court Clearance: The Committee forwarded the qualifying list to the Full Court. Ultimately, the Full Court cleared 85 of those names, with only one qualifying candidate failing to secure the final nod.

Key Figures and Gender Diversity

Out of the 85 designated advocates, 11 are women (approximately 13% of the total designees). These include prominent litigators such as Ms. Maneesha Dhir (a veteran in commercial and insolvency law), human rights and criminal law advocate Ms. Warisha Farasat, and veteran advocates Ms. Abha Malhotra, Ms. Kanika Agnihotri, and Ms. Sangeeta Bharti.

The new list of senior advocates also features prominent legal figures specializing across diverse domains, including cyber law pioneer Mr. Pavan Duggal, Special Public Prosecutor Mr. Amit Prasad, and veteran standing counsels such as Mr. Sanjay Lao and Mr. Satyakam.

Complete List of Designated Senior Advocates (July 2026)

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