The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday directed the Bar Council of Rajasthan (BCR) to clear all pending enrolment applications within six days [Surendra Khinchi v The Bar Council Of Rajasthan & Ors.].
Justice Shubha Mehta directed the BCR to dispose of all pending enrolment applications by September 9, after finding that delays linked to the Bar Council's election process had affected law graduates seeking to enter the profession.
"अभ्यर्थियों के एडवोकेट के रूप में अधिवक्ता परिषद राजस्थान में नामांकन में विलम्ब से उन्हें कठिनाई हो रही है तथा उनकी आजीविका के अधिकार प्रभावित हो रहे हैं। ऐसी स्थिति में याचिका स्वीकार करते हुए, अयाची संख्या-1 अधिवक्ता परिषद राजस्थान को यह निर्देश दिए जाते हैं कि एडवोकेट के रूप में नामांकन हेतु आज दिनांक तक लम्बित प्रार्थना-पत्रों का निस्तारण दिनांक 09-09-2026 तक विहित प्रक्रिया के अनुसार करें और सम्बन्धित अभ्यर्थियों को सूचित करें।" directed the Court.
(Translation)"Due to delay in the enrolment of the candidates as Advocates with the Bar Council of Rajasthan, they are facing difficulties and their right to livelihood is being affected. In such a situation, while allowing the petition, respondent No. 1, Bar Council of Rajasthan, is directed to dispose of the applications pending as of today for enrolment as Advocates, in accordance with the prescribed procedure, by 09.09.2026, and to inform the concerned candidates," directed the Court.
The directions were passed while allowing a petition filed by one Surendra Khinchi, a 2025 law graduate of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Law University, Jaipur whose application for enrolment with the Bar Council had remained pending.
Khinchi had submitted his enrolment application along with the required documents and fee. He had also sent a separate representation by email requesting that his application be processed. However, the application remained pending amid the Bar Council's election process and administrative difficulties.
During the hearing, counsel for the BCR submitted that enrolment-related work was not being carried out during the elections. It was further submitted that no committee was presently constituted to undertake such work.
An ad hoc committee had earlier been constituted on February 24, 2026, but it was cancelled by the high-level election supervisory committee on March 12, 2026.
The Bar Council also informed the Court that several other candidates, apart from Khinchi, were facing similar difficulties because their enrolment applications remained pending in the absence of a functioning committee.
The Court noted that by the time it considered the matter, the Bar Council elections had been completed and their results declared.
Therefore, the Court found it appropriate to direct the Bar Council to process the pending applications rather than leave the candidates waiting indefinitely.
Advocate Vishal Soni represented the petitioner.
Advocates Prateek Kasliwal, Sandeep Pathak, Arnab Singh, Nikhilesh Katara represented the Bar Association and other respondents.
[Read Order]