The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the counting of votes for the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) elections following allegations that ballot papers had been tampered with during the election process.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also transferred a batch of petitions raising allegations of irregularities in the polls to a special Bench of the Delhi High Court.
The matter was mentioned before the CJI-led Bench by advocate Shobha Gupta, who expressed concern that even allegedly tampered ballot papers were being included in the counting process.
Taking note of the submissions, the Supreme Court ordered an immediate stay on the counting of votes until the Delhi High Court adjudicates the matter. The Court further directed the High Court to hear the petitions on a day-to-day basis.
The Bar Council of Delhi elections were conducted in February this year under the supervision of retired Delhi High Court judge Justice Talwant Singh, who was appointed as the returning officer.
However, the elections were marred by controversy from the outset. On February 22, sixty-seven candidates, including two Senior Advocates, were placed under summary suspension for alleged large-scale violations of the Model Code of Conduct and the Election Rules, 2023.
In total, seventy-nine lawyers were issued suspension notices. A day later, on February 23, sixty-three of those notices were withdrawn after the candidates submitted explanations in response to the allegations.
Subsequently, the Bar Council of India placed a lawyer under interim suspension for allegedly misbehaving with Justice Talwant Singh. The lawyer was accused of attempting to manhandle the retired judge, instigating a group of lawyers and raising slogans against the election machinery while Justice Singh was inspecting an area following complaints of Model Code violations.
Last month, the Bar Council of Delhi also suspended former Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) President Rajiv Khosla and nine other advocates from its rolls over allegations that they had manhandled, pushed and abused officials involved in conducting the elections.
On May 2, Justice Talwant Singh reportedly sent a confidential letter regarding the elections to the Supreme Court. Multiple petitions alleging irregularities in the conduct of the polls were also filed thereafter.
In its order passed today, the Supreme Court additionally directed its Registry to forward Justice Singh’s confidential communication to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court for appropriate action.
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