NEW DELHI: In a heartfelt and candid open letter addressed to Senior Advocate Mr. Dushyant Dave, Dr. Adish C. Aggarwala, former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), has urged Mr. Dave to reconsider his decision to retire from legal practice and instead contest the SCBA presidential election in 2026.
Citing Mr. Dave’s recent 70th birthday, Senior Advocate Adish Aggarwala emphasized that this stage of life is “in fact, the youth of a lawyer’s career,” and that many legendary legal minds have continued to have flourishing practices well beyond that age.
Reflecting on Mr. Dave’s narrow defeat by 191 votes in the 2023 SCBA presidential elections, Dr. Aggarwala encouraged him not to take the loss personally. “I, too, have lost the Presidential election many times. We should remain positive when we are in the legal profession,” he wrote.
Dr. Aggarwala candidly acknowledged that clients in the Supreme Court often prefer engaging the sitting SCBA President due to increased visibility and influence, sometimes leading to fluctuations in professional opportunities once a term ends. However, he assured Mr. Dave that this should not deter him from re-entering the fray.
In a significant gesture of goodwill, Dr. Aggarwala pledged not to contest the 2026 SCBA presidential election if Mr. Dave decides to run. “Once elected, you will regain the same roaring legal practice that you had after being elected President of the SCBA in 2019,” he stated.
The letter also notes that several other senior advocates—including Rajeev Dhavan, R. Venkataramani, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid, and P.N. Misra—continue to maintain active practices despite being older than Mr. Dave.
Dr. Aggarwala concluded the letter with a strong appeal:
“In these circumstances, I take this opportunity to request you to reconsider your decision, once again join active legal practice, and contest for the Presidentship of the Supreme Court Bar Association in 2026. Once again, I vouch that I will not contest if you are in the fray.”
This unprecedented public exchange between two stalwarts of the Indian Bar underscores the dynamic nature of leadership within the legal fraternity and the deep mutual respect shared between its senior-most members.
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