COURSE ON ADVOCATE-ON-RECORD EXAMINATION & SUPREME COURT PRACTICE

In the legal realm of India, the role of an Advocate-on-Record (AOR) embodies the essence of the quote, “It is better to be unique than to be best” by Justice AK Sikri. Being an AOR in India is like standing out in a crowd rather than just trying to be the best. It’s not just about being a good lawyer; it’s about meeting special requirements and passing tough exams set by the Supreme Court. 

It would be interesting to know that in March 2023, the Ministry of Law & Justice revealed to the Rajya Sabha that the country boasts a significant 20,13,081 registered lawyers across its various courts. Surprisingly, only around 3300 of them hold the prestigious title of AOR as per the Supreme Court’s latest count. This stark contrast underscores that a mere 0.16% of the total registered lawyers in the country have achieved the distinct status of being an Advocate-on-Record.

WHO IS AN ADVOCATE-ON-RECORD?

An AOR is an advocate who is entitled under Order IV of Supreme Court Rules to plead on behalf of their clients in the Supreme Court. Only an AOR can file cases before the Supreme Court. 

Simply put, AORs are a pool of lawyers whose legal practice is mostly before the Supreme Court. The idea behind this practice is that a lawyer with special qualifications, picked by the Supreme Court itself, is equipped to appear for a litigant because it is a court of the last opportunity for the litigant.

Once you become an AOR, you get a unique privilege – you can directly file and argue cases in the Supreme Court. It’s not just about being excellent in general; it’s about having a special skill set tailored for the complex procedures of the highest court in the country.