Supreme Court Constitutes 2 New Election Tribunals For Speedy Resolution Of State Bar Council Election Disputes

The Supreme Court today constituted two new election tribunals for speedy adjudication of election-related disputes of State Bar Councils. These tribunals shall be headed by former Supreme Court judges - Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Hima Kohli.

A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order directing that the Bar Council of India take formal consent of the proposed members and notify the Tribunals within 3 days.

The two new tribunals shall be in addition to the ones already existing and their composition shall be as follows -

(1) Former SC judge Justice Deepak Gupta (Chairperson), former Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur (Member), and Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani (Member);

(2) Former SC judge Justice Hima Kohli (Chairperson), former Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan (Member), and Senior Advocate Kaveeta Wadia (Member).

The aggrieved parties shall be at liberty to submit their claims before the tribunals, the Court said. It also requested all the Tribunals to decide the issues expeditiously. The State Bar Councils were directed to keep the relevant records intact till election disputes are decided by the tribunals.

During the hearing, Advocate Kumud Lata Das, for petitioners, submitted that one of the cases pertained to 20% reservation for women, where 5 candidates were to be elected. She contended that the Hare-Clark system of counting was not followed and after the first preference, the elimination list was published.

Senior Advocate Gurukrishna Kumar, for BCI, informed that in 2023 itself, the BCI had formulated Rules for constitution of election tribunals, based on which one 3-member tribunal is already functioning. BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, on his part, contended that two election tribunals are necessary to tackle disputes pertaining to bar council elections held in 2026 - one already existing (headed by former SC judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia), and another that the Court may constitute.

At one point, Kumud Lata Das urged that confusion had arisen on account of the BCI's decision to have one composite ballot paper and BCI should not be a part of the Committee. However, the submission was countered by the BCI Chairman who informed that the said decision was made by the Supervisory committee.

Ultimately, the bench left all the issues to be determined by the Tribunals.

Case Title: SAVITA DEVI @ SAVITA DHANDA AND ORS. Versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS., W.P.(C) No. 589/2026 (and connected cases)