The Supreme Court has directed a Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia–led committee to probe allegations of horse trading and electoral malpractice in the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council elections. The panel will also oversee the election of office bearers, with its report due in two weeks.
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday took a serious view of allegations of horse trading and electoral irregularities in the recently held Chhattisgarh State Bar Council Election 2025 and directed a high-powered committee to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter.
The apex court appointed a High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to examine the allegations related to malpractice in the election process. The committee has been asked to submit its report within two weeks.
The Bar Council elections in Chhattisgarh were held after a long gap of nearly 11 years. Voting took place on September 30, 2025, in which more than 13,000 advocates across the state exercised their franchise to elect 25 members to the State Bar Council. As per the election procedure, once these 25 members are elected, they later choose the chairperson and other office bearers from among themselves.
During the hearing, senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also the Chairperson of the Bar Council of India, informed the bench that the apex bar body had approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of a petition pending before the Chhattisgarh High Court to the top court.
He pointed out that despite a clear and specific direction passed earlier by the Supreme Court stating that no High Court should interfere in matters concerning State Bar Council elections, the Chhattisgarh High Court proceeded to hear and deal with issues arising out of the election process.
It was also highlighted before the bench that the High Court had recently questioned an order signed by Manan Kumar Mishra that deferred the election of office bearers of the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council. The High Court had further asked the Bar Council of India to explain the legal basis on which such a decision to defer the elections was taken.
Taking note of these submissions, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed the apex court-appointed committee headed by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to inquire into all allegations of electoral malpractices and submit its findings within two weeks.
The Supreme Court also disposed of the plea that was pending before the High Court and firmly reiterated its earlier direction that
“no high court shall intervene in issues related to state bar council polls as the same is being monitored by it.”
In addition to conducting the inquiry, the Supreme Court authorised the Justice Dhulia-led committee to go ahead and conduct the election of office bearers of the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council to ensure fairness, transparency, and adherence to legal norms.
The bench further clarified that all expenses related to the functioning of the Justice Dhulia committee would be borne by the Bar Council of India.
Apart from Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, the committee also includes Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and senior advocate V Giri, who will jointly supervise the entire election and inquiry process.
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