NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to notify elections for the Punjab and Haryana bar councils within ten days and hold the polls by 31 December 2025.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi also instructed the apex bar body to conduct elections for the Uttar Pradesh Bar Council by 31 January 2026 and to address the genuine grievances of electors.
The directions came after it was pointed out that elections for the Punjab and Haryana bar councils had not been notified, and in Uttar Pradesh, the voter list had not been uploaded online.
Senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, who is also BCI chairman, noted that, as per rules, 180 days are required between the notification of elections and their holding, which could pose challenges for Punjab and Haryana.
Justice Kant asked Mishra to constitute a committee, headed by a retired high court judge, to oversee bar council elections in different states. Mishra confirmed that such a panel is already in place.
The top court further instructed that for holding polls in Punjab and Haryana, BCI should appoint another panel headed by a retired high court judge. The bench urged efforts to ensure elections by 31 December 2025, stating that any difficulties could be addressed if they arise.
“The bar council elections were not held for quite some time, but now the Bar Council of India has agreed to hold them. Let us cooperate to strengthen the democratic institution. We need to trust our democratic institutions to conduct fair elections,” the bench told advocate Pradeep Yadav, who had raised concerns about the Uttar Pradesh voter list.
Senior advocate Narender Hooda pointed out that under the rules, the current BCI body cannot continue beyond a seven-year tenure.
On 24 September, the Supreme Court had stated that elections in state bar councils must be completed by 31 January 2026, considering the long-standing delays. It also clarified that verification of LLB certificates cannot be a reason to postpone elections.
The court was hearing pleas challenging Rule 32 of the Bar Council of India Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015, which allows BCI to extend the term of State Bar Council members beyond the statutory limits under the Advocates Act, 1961.
