Shreya Gupta
On 26th May 2025, a development took place concerning the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections. The Supreme Court of India was informed about irregularities in the vote count for the post of SCBA President. These discrepancies prompted the Court to order a recount of the results.
Senior Advocate Vijay Hansaria, a member of the Election Committee appointed by the Court, informed a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta that discrepancies had been discovered following complaints by candidates Advocate Adish C. Aggarwala and Advocate Pradeep Rai, both of whom contested for the President’s post. Specifically, it was found that the number of votes declared—2,651—exceeded the number of ballots issued, which stood at 2,588. In light of this, the Committee proposed to initiate a recount of the votes for the President’s post at 11:30 a.m. on the same day.
The bench directed that the outcome of this recount should not be declared immediately but rather a report should first be submitted to the Court to assess the fairness of the process. Additionally, the Court instructed that votes for the Executive Committee (EC) members should also be recounted, as complaints had been received in that regard as well.
The Registrar General has been requested to serve as an observer during the recounting process to ensure transparency and credibility. Justice Kant firmly stated that the Court would not tolerate any efforts to intimidate or undermine the Election Committee, referring to them as “extended arms” of the Court.
This statement was made in response to a letter written by Advocate Adish Aggarwala, who was participating in the proceedings virtually, in which he reportedly suggested criminal prosecution against members of the Election Committee. Senior Advocate Vijay Hansaria added that the recounting of EC members’ votes may take two to three days but noted logistical issues as some EC members were currently unavailable.
In response, the Court indicated its readiness to substitute those members if necessary, emphasizing the importance of a prompt and fair recount.
Case Title: Supreme Court Bar Association V/s.. B.D. Kaushik
Case Number: Diary No.13992/2023
Bench: Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta
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