The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised concerns about the functioning of the Karnal Bar Association over discrepancies in bar elections. [Sandeep Chaudhry v. Jagmal Singh Jatain].A bench of Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh warned that if the situation continues, the Court will be forced to dissolve the bar association."We will take some serious actions, we will dissolve bar Association....if this continues we will take some serious action, which is in your mind but would not share with you at this time...we don't fear anyone. We will take take the bull by the horns," the Court observed..The Court was hearing a plea challenging an order passed by the Punjab & Haryana High Court which stayed a Bar Council of India (BCI) order effectively allowing Advocate Sandeep Chaudhry to contest the Karnal Bar Association elections. This, after the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana had restrained him from contesting the elections, based on the allegation that he had allotted chambers to ineligible advocates.In its order passed in February, the High Court clarified that the BCI lacked jurisdiction to hear the appeal, as the Special Committee of the State Bar Council had not completed its investigation and had not made any final recommendations.Aggrieved by the order, the lawyer moved the Supreme Court. He argued that the High Court had not given him an opportunity to be heard before it passed its order..The Supreme Court said that if there are any concerns, the State Bar Council should provide a clear response and must also be prepared for the possibility of a court-appointed tribunal to oversee the conduct of these elections. "We are not unwilling, and we will not hesitate to deliver the judgment on the judicial side if necessary. However, for now, we prefer to avoid that. If an amicable resolution is possible, we would prefer that approach," it said..Accordingly, the Court listed the matter for further consideration on April 25, by which time Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae RS Cheema is to suggest names of senior members of the Karnal Bar to whom the affairs of the Bar Association could be handed over as an interim measure..Senior Advocate Narender Hooda along with Advocates Karan Kapoor, Manik Kapoor, Shrey Kapoor and Sunny Kadiyan appeared for the petitioner.Senior Advocates Nakul Dewan and Santosh Paul, along with Advocates Vedant Pradhan, Shish Pal Laler, Hitesh Kumar, Hardik Giri, Atul, Kadambini, Radhika Gautam, Anjul Dwivedi, Raghavendra Pratap Singh, Atmaja Tripathy, Mahendra Pratap Singh, K Elumalai, Ram Kumar, Akshay Saxena, Anurag Saon, Ritu Raj and Aditi appeared for various respondents.Advocates Tarannum Cheema, Akshay N and Akash Singh assisted Amicus Cheema..[Read Live Coverage].[Read Order]
The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised concerns about the functioning of the Karnal Bar Association over discrepancies in bar elections. [Sandeep Chaudhry v. Jagmal Singh Jatain].A bench of Justices Surya Kant and NK Singh warned that if the situation continues, the Court will be forced to dissolve the bar association."We will take some serious actions, we will dissolve bar Association....if this continues we will take some serious action, which is in your mind but would not share with you at this time...we don't fear anyone. We will take take the bull by the horns," the Court observed..The Court was hearing a plea challenging an order passed by the Punjab & Haryana High Court which stayed a Bar Council of India (BCI) order effectively allowing Advocate Sandeep Chaudhry to contest the Karnal Bar Association elections. This, after the Bar Council of Punjab & Haryana had restrained him from contesting the elections, based on the allegation that he had allotted chambers to ineligible advocates.In its order passed in February, the High Court clarified that the BCI lacked jurisdiction to hear the appeal, as the Special Committee of the State Bar Council had not completed its investigation and had not made any final recommendations.Aggrieved by the order, the lawyer moved the Supreme Court. He argued that the High Court had not given him an opportunity to be heard before it passed its order..The Supreme Court said that if there are any concerns, the State Bar Council should provide a clear response and must also be prepared for the possibility of a court-appointed tribunal to oversee the conduct of these elections. "We are not unwilling, and we will not hesitate to deliver the judgment on the judicial side if necessary. However, for now, we prefer to avoid that. If an amicable resolution is possible, we would prefer that approach," it said..Accordingly, the Court listed the matter for further consideration on April 25, by which time Senior Advocate and Amicus Curiae RS Cheema is to suggest names of senior members of the Karnal Bar to whom the affairs of the Bar Association could be handed over as an interim measure..Senior Advocate Narender Hooda along with Advocates Karan Kapoor, Manik Kapoor, Shrey Kapoor and Sunny Kadiyan appeared for the petitioner.Senior Advocates Nakul Dewan and Santosh Paul, along with Advocates Vedant Pradhan, Shish Pal Laler, Hitesh Kumar, Hardik Giri, Atul, Kadambini, Radhika Gautam, Anjul Dwivedi, Raghavendra Pratap Singh, Atmaja Tripathy, Mahendra Pratap Singh, K Elumalai, Ram Kumar, Akshay Saxena, Anurag Saon, Ritu Raj and Aditi appeared for various respondents.Advocates Tarannum Cheema, Akshay N and Akash Singh assisted Amicus Cheema..[Read Live Coverage].[Read Order]
