Today, On 31st October, The Supreme Court directed the Bar Council of India to announce elections for the Punjab and Haryana bar councils within ten days, setting a deadline of December 31, 2025, for the polls while addressing concerns over delay in the election process.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to announce elections for the Punjab and Haryana bar councils within ten days, with a deadline for holding the polls set for December 31, 2025.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi also instructed the BCI to conduct elections for the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council by January 31, 2026, while addressing the legitimate grievances of voters.
This decision came after concerns were raised about the lack of notification for the Punjab and Haryana bar council elections and the failure to upload the voter list for Uttar Pradesh on the official website.
Senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, who chairs the BCI, explained that according to the rules, there must be a 180-day interval between the election notification and the actual election date, which could pose challenges for Punjab and Haryana.
In response, Justice Kant urged Mishra to establish a committee led by a retired high court judge to oversee the bar council elections across various states. Mishra confirmed that such a panel was already in place.
The Supreme Court emphasized the importance of making efforts to hold elections in Punjab and Haryana by the specified date and stated that any difficulties could be addressed as they arise.
Advocate Pradeep Yadav, who raised concerns about the absence of the Uttar Pradesh bar council voter list on the website, the bench remarked,
“The bar council elections were not held for quite some time but now the Bar Council of India has agreed to hold the elections. Let’s cooperate with it and strengthen the democratic institution. We need to trust our democratic institutions in holding fair elections,”
Senior advocate Narender Hooda pointed out that the current BCI body cannot serve beyond a seven-year term, as stipulated by the rules.
Also Read: India’s 53rd Chief Justice: Centre Approves Appointment of Justice Surya Kant As CJI
Earlier, On September 24, the Supreme Court had asserted that state bar council elections must be conducted by January 31, 2026, due to the prolonged delays. It emphasized that verification processes for LLB certificates should not be used as a justification for postponing the elections.
The court was hearing multiple petitions aimed at challenging Rule 32 of the Bar Council of India Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015, which allows the BCI to extend the terms of State Bar Council members beyond the limits established by the Advocates Act of 1961.
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