Divided Bar weakens the Bench: Delhi High Court puts an end to Ashok Arora's suit against Supreme Court Bar Association

Stating that a divided Bar weakens the Bench, the Delhi High Court today put an end to Ashok Arora's suit against Supreme Court Bar Association in connection with his removal as its Secretary. (Ashok Arora vs SCBA).A Single Judge Bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher said, ."If the Bar is divided, it affects the Bench equally. You need to understand it. We get our strength from the Bar.".After hearing Arora, Senior Advocate Arvind Nigam for SCBA and SCBA President Dushyant Dave, Justice Shakdher opined that in the best interest of camaraderie and to ensure that the prestige of the institution is sustained, he intended to close the proceedings in the present case. .Pursuant to Justice Shakdher's intervention, SCBA agreed that it would not "take forward", the minutes of the May 8 Executive Committee Meeting wherein it was decided to suspend Arora from the post of Secretary, SCBA. .Since his term was ending, Arora said that he would not participate in the proceedings of the Executive Committee, SCBA..The Court also recorded that the SCBA and Arora would not press their respective stand on issue of suspension and that Arora would withdraw all legal proceedings initiated by him in connection with his ouster. .In case Arora intended to contest the upcoming SCBA elections, the suspension order shall not come in its way, the Court added. .The matter was heard in two shifts today. After Justice Shakdher suggested that the matter be settled between the parties today itself, Senior Advocate Nigam was asked to come back with instructions in the post-lunch session. .During the course of the hearing, while Arora asserted that he was fighting for dignity and not the post, Dave clarified that SCBA had "nothing against" Arora. .We want to resolve it, Dave stated. .Following Arora's call for an Emergent General Meeting to remove Dave from the post of SCBA President, the Executive Council of the Association had suspended Arora from the post of Secretary with immediate effect..In October, Justice Mukta Gupta refused to grant interim relief of stay to Arora. She held that Arora had not made out any prima facie case in his favour for grant of an injunction..The order was subsequently upheld by a Division Bench of the High Court after Arora preferred an appeal.