Supreme Court directs BCI to hold Punjab and Haryana bar council elections by December 31
PTC Web Desk: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to issue notifications for the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council elections within 10 days and ensure that polling is conducted by December 31, 2025.
A Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also instructed the BCI to conduct elections for the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council by January 31, 2026, and to address the legitimate grievances raised by voters regarding the electoral process.
The directive came after the Supreme Court was informed that elections for Punjab and Haryana bar councils were yet to be notified, and in Uttar Pradesh, the voter list had not been uploaded on the official website.
During the hearing, senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, who also serves as BCI Chairman, stated that under existing rules, there must be a 180-day gap between election notification and polling, which could cause logistical challenges in the case of Punjab and Haryana.
However, Justice Kant urged the BCI to expedite the process and suggested forming a committee headed by a retired high court judge to oversee the elections in different states. Mishra confirmed that such a panel was already constituted, led by a retired judge.
The Bench further advised that a separate panel be appointed specifically for the Punjab and Haryana Bar Councils, reiterating that efforts should be made to complete the elections before December 31.
Emphasising the need to restore normalcy in bar council functioning, the Supreme Court observed: “Bar council elections have been pending for a long time, but now the Bar Council of India has agreed to conduct them. Let’s cooperate and strengthen democratic institutions. We must trust our democratic systems to hold free and fair elections.”
The remark came in response to submissions by advocate Pradeep Yadav, who highlighted that the UP Bar Council’s voter list had not yet been uploaded.
Senior advocate Narender Hooda also pointed out that under the Advocates Act, 1961, the BCI’s tenure cannot exceed seven years, emphasising the urgency for timely elections.
Earlier, on September 24, the Supreme Court had ordered that state bar council elections across India must be completed by January 31, 2026, citing the prolonged delays. The court also clarified that verification drives for LLB certificates cannot be used as a reason to defer elections.
The case concerns multiple petitions challenging Rule 32 of the Bar Council of India Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015, which allows the BCI to extend the tenure of State Bar Council members beyond statutory limits.
- With inputs from agencies
