It’s not because there aren’t brilliant legal minds; there are. It’s because the Constitution’s ‘hidden clause’ for appointing a “distinguished jurist” has never been used; not once in 76 years. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan just called it an “unused mandate.” Why? Because we’ve stuck to safe, traditional routes; promoting judges or advocates; while ignoring scholars who’ve spent decades shaping constitutional thought. Imagine a bench that doesn’t just rule on law; but deeply understands its spirit. That’s what Article 124(3) was designed for. Yet, no one’s dared to use it. The real question isn’t whether we have qualified jurists; it’s whether our system is willing to break its own mold. Maybe it’s time.