The Supreme Court, led by CJI Kant, pulled up state authorities for delaying Punjab & Haryana Bar Council elections, rejecting reliance on decades-old orders and directing senior officials to extend full cooperation and file a compliance report.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India has issued firm directions to ensure the smooth and timely conduct of the Punjab & Haryana Bar Council elections, expressing concern over delays, conflicting communications, and lack of coordination among authorities.
A Bench led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) took note of the confusion surrounding administrative support to the High Powered Election Committee (HPEC), which has been tasked with conducting the Bar Council elections.
During the proceedings, the CJI observed that state officials had cited a February 1993 order as a justification for not assisting the HPEC. The Court found this explanation unacceptable, emphasizing that reliance on decades-old orders cannot excuse administrative inaction.
The Court noted contradictory communications from officials:
- In November 2025, letters from former officials indicated a willingness to assist in conducting the elections.
- However, in December 2025, subsequent correspondence expressed an inability to conduct the elections and sought to shift responsibility to another authority.
The Bench remarked that such inconsistency reflects poor governance and a lack of accountability.
Supreme Court’s Directions
To address the situation, the Supreme Court issued the following directions:
- The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) is directed to actively coordinate with the High Powered Election Committee to ensure the elections are conducted smoothly.
- The Chief Secretary, Director General, and other senior state officials are required to provide full logistical, administrative, and operational support for the election process.
- All concerned officers must strictly comply with the Supreme Court’s directions and ensure there are no further impediments in holding the elections.
The Bench further directed the concerned authorities to file a compliance report detailing the steps taken to implement the Court’s directions and facilitate the election process.
READ LIVE COVERAGE
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Punjab & Haryana Bar Council
