AIIMS team suggests that SCBA elections be held online in view of COVID-19

A health advisory team from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has suggested that the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections should be held through online mode in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. .The team from AIIMS visited the Supreme Court premises after a request to that effect was made by the Additional Registrar of the Supreme Court. ."In view of the probability of spread of Covid in large congregation and feasibility of elections to be conducted on secure online platform, it is desirable that the elections are done on online platform only," the AIIMS team suggested..The SCBA Election Committee had on January 27 proposed to hold the elections in a hybrid manner, with voters having the option of both physical and digital voting. However, holding physical voting was subject to the advice of the health advisory committee which has now opined against it..The AIIMS team's opinion was solicited after Chief Justice of India SA Bobde urged representatives of the SCBA to consider seeking a medical expert opinion before holding physical elections..This year's SCBA election has been mired in controversy due to disagreements within the body regarding the mode of holding elections. Initially, it was proposed that the elections should be held via online medium in view of the COVID-19 situation. .An Election Committee under the Chairmanship of Senior Advocate Jaideep Gupta had taken a conscious decision to conduct the elections in virtual mode using a platform like National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL).However, after the commencement of the election process, the Executive Committee of SCBA passed a resolution stating that the election shall be carried out in a hybrid mode in the third week of February 2021. Consequently, the members of the Election Committee resigned..Election Committee nominated for upcoming SCBA elections: Delhi High Court disposes of plea alleging interference by Executive Committee.Meanwhile, incumbent President Dushyant Dave also tendered his resignation from the post. Later, a new Election Committee comprising Senior Advocates Pallav Shishodia, Rana Mukherjee and Siddhartha Dave decided to hold elections in a hybrid manner subject to the advice of the health advisory team. .The SCBA elections are scheduled to be held on February 27.