The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court order relating to the Karnal Bar Association elections and granted interim relief in a connected matter alleging irregularities in the Rohtak Bar Association polls. .A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta was hearing two separate petitions filed by advocates Sandeep Chaudhry and Sandeep Kumar. While the first concerned the debarment of the petitioner's candidature from contesting the Karnal Bar elections, the second challenged alleged manipulation in the Rohtak Bar electoral rolls and the suspension of a lawyer’s licence..At the outset, the bench asked the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council to clarify its stand on the Karnal Bar election issue. Senior Advocate Narendra Hooda, appearing for the petitioner Sandeep Chaudhry, submitted that the Bar Council was not opposing a fresh election.“Insofar as Karnal is concerned, they are agreeable to holding elections again,” Hooda said.However, the counsel appearing for the State Bar Council began raising contradictory contentions. "We are at your lordships hands, however there are serious allegations regarding chamber allocations," it was submitted. This prompted Justice Kant to sharply criticise the Bar Council’s ambivalence.“That's the problem...You never take a firm stand because you need their votes. You are a statutory body. If procedure has not been followed, you should say elections should be held afresh in a transparent manner,” the bench said..According to the Special Election Committee’s report, Chaudhry had failed to produce records related to the allotment of chambers and the use of association funds despite repeated directions. It recommended that Chaudhry be debarred from contesting elections for three years or until the inquiry concluded.However, the Bar Council of India later stayed the debarment order and allowed Chaudhry to contest the elections scheduled for 28 February. This stay was challenged by another advocate, Jagmal Singh Jatain, on the ground that the BCI had no jurisdiction to interfere, as there was no final punishment order from the State Bar Council to begin with.Agreeing with this argument, the High Court quashed the BCI’s order. But the Supreme Court on Tuesday reversed that ruling solely on procedural grounds.“Since the impugned judgment of the High Court has been passed adversely impacting the rights of the appellant and at the same time without affording him a reasonable opportunity of being heard, the same is set aside on this ground alone,” the Court said.The matter was then remitted to the High Court for a fresh hearing.“Owing to urgency, the Chief Justice of the High Court is requested to post the matter for hearing on 2 June. We request the High Court to make an endeavour to decide the writ petition on merits at the earliest and issue appropriate directions as may be required,” the bench directed..In the connected matter relating to Rohtak Bar elections, Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy appeared for the petitioner and alleged electoral irregularities including manipulation of the voter list and punitive action against a lawyer who contested against the sitting president.“There is manipulation of the electoral lists. His [Arvind Kumar’s] licence is suspended for contesting against the sitting president,” Guruswamy submitted.Taking note of the urgency, the Court granted interim relief and also directed that the matter be heard by the High Court earlier than scheduled.“The instant appeal is directed against an order passed by the High Court issuing notice in a writ petition without any interim direction. The writ petition is listed on July 11, 2025. Having regard to the urgency, the writ petition is ordered to be preponed; the same shall be heard on 2 July,” the Court said.It further stayed the effect of the debarment order and directed that the suspension not influence the pending matter.“Pleadings shall be complete by 2nd or 3rd June. Meanwhile, the order passed by the Bar Council debarring or suspending the member shall be kept in abeyance. The High Court will ignore the orders passed by the State Bar Council while deciding the matter on merits,” the bench ordered..The top Court had earlier suggested the nomination of a former High Court judge to oversee the elections and asked the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana to submit a proposal to that effect. .Both matters will now proceed before the High Court on expedited timelines as directed by the Supreme Court..Guruswamy was assisted by Advocates Nipun Arora and Yatika Sihag. .[Read Live Coverage]
