Allahabad High Court: In the present case, Elder Committee, Ekikrit Bar Association, Mati, Kanpur assailed the validity of the impugned order dated 19/20-01-2025, whereby the Chairman, Bar Council of U.P., recalled his previous order dated 12-01-2025 and directed the President/Secretary of the Bar Association to constitute an Elders Committee in the order of seniority and hold elections of the Bar Association under the supervision of a Committee of Observers constituted by the Bar Council.
A Single Judge Bench of Kshitij Shailendra, J., opined that once an election schedule was notified and elections were held, the Chairman, Bar Council of U.P. himself, recalling his own order without providing opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and issuing directions regarding formation of a new Elders Committee was contrary to the decisions of the Division Benches in Bar Association, Fatehgarh v. Bar Council of U.P., Writ-C No.31223 of 2018 (‘Bar Association, Fatehgarh Case’), and Bar Association v. State of U.P., 2013 SCC OnLine All 4646 (‘State of U.P. Case’). Therefore, the impugned order was stayed till the next date of listing.
Background
The petitioner submitted that an Elders Committee was constituted much earlier and an election programme of the Bar Association was notified, as per which, elections were to be held on 28-01-2025. The petitioner’s grievance was that the impugned order dated 19-01-2025 was passed on an application filed by Respondent 3 and other persons without providing any opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and without even putting it to notice.
The impugned order stated that since, after death of Chairman of Elders Committee, the next senior-most person was not doing anything and there was some other dispute regarding Elders Committee, the order dated 12-01-2025 was recalled with a direction to constitute a new Elders Committee and hold elections under the supervision of the Observers appointed by the Bar Council.
Counsel for respondent submitted that the order impugned was passed in exercise of powers under Section 15 of the Advocates Act, 1961 (‘the 1961’) and the Bar Council had every power to ensure that there existed a duly constituted Elders Committee. Further, no new Elders Committee was appointed by the Bar Council or its Chairman, rather only a direction was issued to the President/Secretary of Bar Association to constitute a new Elders Committee as per the Model Bye-laws and then, hold elections. It was also submitted that since elections had already been held, any grievance in relation to the elections might be raised before the Competent Authority under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
Analysis, Law, and Decision
The Court noted that it was not a disputed fact that elections had already been held on 28-01-2025 and certain office bearers had been elected, and the petitioner was not aggrieved by elections or its result.
The Court after considering interpretation of Section 15 of the 1961 Act read with Bar Council of U.P. Election Rules, 1992 framed under Section 15(2) of the 1961 Act, opined that in decision of the Division Benches in Bar Association, Fatehgarh Case (supra) and State of U.P. Case (supra), it was held that the Chairman of Bar Council had no power or authority to decide the issue of constitution of Elders Committee or issue a direction for holding elections of the office bearers of a Bar Association.
The Court opined that once an election schedule was notified in December 2024 and elections were held on 28-01-2025, the Chairman, Bar Council of U.P. himself, recalling his own order on 19-01-2025 by entertaining an application filed by certain persons, without providing opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and further issuing certain directions regarding formation of a new Elders Committee and holding of another elections and restraining the existing Elders Committee, terming the same to be “disputed” as regards election, was contrary to the decisions of the Division Benches.
The Court held in case the impugned order was allowed to stand, for intervening period during the pendency of the writ petition, it would create further complications and would cause interference in the functions to be performed by an elected body, therefore, a prima facie case for grant of interim relief was made out.
The Court stated that till the next date of listing, the effect and operation of the order impugned dated 19-01-2025 passed by the Chairman, Bar Council of U.P. shall remain stayed.
The matter would next be listed on 24-03-2025.
[Ekikrit Bar Association v. State of U.P., WRIT – C No. – 3240 of 2025, decided on 29-01-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Petitioner: Dharmendra Singh, Counsel
For the Respondents: C.S.C., Ankit Saran, Ashok Kumar Tiwari, Ram Murti Yadav