Former SCBA President Vikas Singh expresses anguish over the recent infighting within the EC involving Ashok Arora and Dushyant Dave

The former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, has expressed deep anguish over the recent developments within the Executive Committee involving Advocate Ashok Arora and Senior Advocate and incumbent President, Dushyant Dave..The Executive Committee (EC) of the SCBA suspended Ashok Arora from the position of Secretary in a resolution passed on May 8. The decision was taken by way of majority and President Dushyant Dave had abstained from voting on the same..SCBA Executive Committee suspends Secretary Ashok Arora by majority after Arora seeks ouster of Dushyant Dave as President.This move came shortly after Ashok Arora called for an Emergent General Meeting, which was scheduled for May 11 at 4.30 PM, with one of the points of agenda being the removal of SCBA President Dushyant Dave..In this regard, Senior Counsel Vikas Singh, who had in the past held the position of President of the SCBA, has expressed deep anguish on the issue. Singh, in his letter addressed to the EC, says that there can never be a call for an Emergent General Meeting (EGM) like the one called for by Arora for the purpose of removal of an elected office bearer..Therefore, the calling of the EGM by Arora was completely improper, Singh opines. .On the other hand, even the EC is not empowered to oust an elected member from his position, in the manner Arora was removed, merely because the office bearer took an action not permitted by the SCBA Rules, Singh says..Such action could only be justified in very extreme cases of serious and blatant misbehaviour by the office bearer, moral turpitude or established financial bungling.Singh says opposing suspension of Arora.Moving on from the internal conflict of the SCBA, Singh further says that at a time like this when the members of the Bar are struggling owing to the lockdown and consequent stoppage in litigation work, the SCBA should have used the funds available with it to help the needy lawyers who are stuck in financial crisis. .The funds should not have been disbursed as a way of loan to these members with a "threat of termination of membership if the loan is not repaid", Singh states in his letter..The big challenge before the SCBA is one pertaining to the resumption of normal functioning of the Apex Court and in this regard, engaging with judges to find a workable arrangement during this pandemic..[SC after COVID-19 Lockdown] Amend SC rules to allow Video Conference hearings in the future: Senior Advocate Vikas Singh urges CJI Bobde.Read Vikas Singh's letter: