There seems to be no end to the issues and hiccups surrounding State Bar Council elections..A slew of applications relating to the elections were heard today by the Supreme Court in the case of Ajayinder Sangwan v. BCI..Though the case relates to a challenge to the Bar Council (Certificate of Practice) Rules 2015, the Court is currently considering the verification of lawyers under the Rules and the elections to various State Bar Councils..Various requests were made by different State Bar Councils and individual lawyers today..The Bar Council of Rajasthan sought postponement of elections on the ground that the elections are scheduled during the High Court holidays..The Bar Council of Kerala prayed for advancement of elections, citing the fact that the election day of March 25 falls on Palm Sunday, a holy day for Christians, who constitute a substantial population in the State. Pallav Shishodia, appearing for the Bar Council of Kerala, prayed that the elections be advanced to March 18..Four lawyers enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra prayed that a polling booth be set up in the Supreme Court to enable them to exercise their franchise from Delhi. In case that cannot be done, it was their prayer that they be provided with ballot papers so that they can exercise their right to vote..Some lawyers from Kerala also moved the Court contending that their candidature was not forwarded by the Bar Association to the Bar Council deliberately, so as to prevent them from contesting elections..Petitioner Ajayinder Sangwan prayed that counting of votes be undertaken even during holidays, so as to ensure that results are declared at the earliest. It was his contention that the process of counting is cumbersome and that the time taken for the same will be different in different states..Senior Advocate Rajiv Dutta, appearing for Bar Council of India, handes over the minutes of a BCI meeting in which it had constituted three committees to deal with issues and complaints arising from Bar Council elections..Dutta submitted that these committees will be headed by retired High Court judges and each committee will be allocated certain states over which they will have jurisdiction..“We have formed three committees headed by retired Chief Justices. They have been allocated different States to sort out any issues that may arise with respect to elections to various State Bar Councils”, Dutta said..Dutta sought the approval of the Court for the said arrangement..The Bench, while hearing the applications of various State Bar Councils and lawyers, also remarked that it was desirable to raise these issues before the committees constituted by BCI..It then proceeded to reserve its order..Some interim applications will, however, be heard next week.
There seems to be no end to the issues and hiccups surrounding State Bar Council elections..A slew of applications relating to the elections were heard today by the Supreme Court in the case of Ajayinder Sangwan v. BCI..Though the case relates to a challenge to the Bar Council (Certificate of Practice) Rules 2015, the Court is currently considering the verification of lawyers under the Rules and the elections to various State Bar Councils..Various requests were made by different State Bar Councils and individual lawyers today..The Bar Council of Rajasthan sought postponement of elections on the ground that the elections are scheduled during the High Court holidays..The Bar Council of Kerala prayed for advancement of elections, citing the fact that the election day of March 25 falls on Palm Sunday, a holy day for Christians, who constitute a substantial population in the State. Pallav Shishodia, appearing for the Bar Council of Kerala, prayed that the elections be advanced to March 18..Four lawyers enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra prayed that a polling booth be set up in the Supreme Court to enable them to exercise their franchise from Delhi. In case that cannot be done, it was their prayer that they be provided with ballot papers so that they can exercise their right to vote..Some lawyers from Kerala also moved the Court contending that their candidature was not forwarded by the Bar Association to the Bar Council deliberately, so as to prevent them from contesting elections..Petitioner Ajayinder Sangwan prayed that counting of votes be undertaken even during holidays, so as to ensure that results are declared at the earliest. It was his contention that the process of counting is cumbersome and that the time taken for the same will be different in different states..Senior Advocate Rajiv Dutta, appearing for Bar Council of India, handes over the minutes of a BCI meeting in which it had constituted three committees to deal with issues and complaints arising from Bar Council elections..Dutta submitted that these committees will be headed by retired High Court judges and each committee will be allocated certain states over which they will have jurisdiction..“We have formed three committees headed by retired Chief Justices. They have been allocated different States to sort out any issues that may arise with respect to elections to various State Bar Councils”, Dutta said..Dutta sought the approval of the Court for the said arrangement..The Bench, while hearing the applications of various State Bar Councils and lawyers, also remarked that it was desirable to raise these issues before the committees constituted by BCI..It then proceeded to reserve its order..Some interim applications will, however, be heard next week.
