Supreme Court backs disqualification norms for Bar Council elections
The Supreme Court refused to entertain a plea by a Telangana advocate barred from contesting state Bar Council elections, observing that lawyers are held to higher ethical standards and bar bodies should be allowed to maintain professional integrity
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday said that the standards of ethical values are higher for lawyers while refusing to entertain a plea by a Telangana advocate barred from contesting the upcoming state Bar Council elections due to pending criminal complaints.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi prima facie observed that “he is not the person who should be allowed to contest the (Telangana State Bar Council) elections.”
The top court was hearing a plea filed by Rapolu Bhaskar, a prominent Telangana High Court advocate, challenging provisions relating to the disqualification of advocates from contesting state Bar Council elections.
Referring to the provisions, counsel appearing for Bhaskar submitted that he had neither been convicted nor punished in any case.
“The standards of ethical values are higher for lawyers,” the CJI said, adding that lawyers often approach courts when tainted candidates contest general elections.
Referring to the poor public perception of some bar leaders in recent times, the CJI said that if bar bodies are trying to maintain professional standards, they should not be prevented from doing so.
Bhaskar’s counsel argued that he had filed around 22,000 cases during his legal career and should not be barred from contesting elections based on two complaints filed by third parties.
Senior advocate and Bar Council of India chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra submitted that elected members of state Bar Councils perform quasi-judicial functions, including deciding disciplinary cases against advocates.
The CJI said that if the petitioner insisted on pursuing the matter, the bench would pass appropriate orders. Sensing the outcome, the petitioner chose to withdraw the plea.
Following directions of the Supreme Court, the state Bar Council elections in Telangana are scheduled to be completed by January 31.