306 advocates have been designated as senior advocates by the Supreme Court

 As per the List available on the website of the Supreme Court, 306 advocates have been designated as senior advocates by the Supreme Court as on 01.11.2011. 

As per the provisions of the Advocates Act, 1961, there shall be two classes of advocates namely, senior advocates and other advocates. An advocate may, with his consent, he designated as senior advocate if the Supreme Court or a High Court is of opinion that by virtue of his ability standing at the Bar or special knowledge or experience in law he is deserving of such distinction. Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 1966 provides that the Chief Justice and the Judges may, with the consent of the advocate, designate an advocate as senior advocate if in their opinion by virtue of his ability, standing at the Bar or special knowledge or experience in law the said advocate is deserving of such distinction. Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, Shri Salman Khurshid, Minister for Law & Justice, said that there is no role of the Government in designating an advocate as senior advocate in Supreme Court.