The Karnataka State Bar Council (KSBC) has declared the results of its elections to the offices of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Member of the Bar Council of India.

According to the notification issued by Returning Officer G. Padmavathi, Adv. Rajanna R has been elected as Chairman, Adv Shivamurthy as Vice-Chairman, and Adv Dhananjaya C M as Member, Bar Council of India, of the Karnataka State Bar Council.

KSBC Chairman R Rajanna secured 15 votes, whereas KSBC Vice Chairman Shivamurthy secured 17 Votes. The newly elected BCI member C M Dhananjaya recieved 15 Votes (President KPCC Human rights and Legal Cell).

The newly inducted chairperson defeated Adv Devaraja M, whereas the new Vice Chairperson emerged victorious over Adv Shailaja K. The newly appointed BCI nominee fought Adv Shivakumar N in the elections.

The elections were conducted as per Rule 8 of the Karnataka State Bar Council (Election of Chairman & Vice Chairman) Rules, 1978, and the Member, Bar Council of India was elected under Section 4(1)(c) of the Advocates Act, 1961.

The KSBC had stood fully constituted with 25 members as of last week with the nomination of co-opted women members too.

Last week, pursuant to the Supreme Court's directions, Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru nominated Senior Advocate S. Susheela and Advocate Vijayamma V. as co-opted members of the State Bar Council.

Chairman and Vice-Chairman were chosen by the elected members, coopted members, and Advocate General of Karnataka.

To recap, in the 2026 General Elections to KSBC held on March 11,2026, 23 members were elected to the statutory body. The elections had witnessed 149 candidates contesting for limited seats across the state. In the elections, five women lawyers had already secured seats after the results were declared.

The said election was the first among the elections conducted to the state bar councils after the apex court directive in December 2025 mandating 30% representation for women in Councils across the country.

Pursuant to this, in August 2026, the apex court again held that two women members could be co-opted to State Bar Councils from among former women High Court judges or senior women members with a fair standing at the Bar, allowing the Chief Justice of the concerned High Courts to make nominations.

In the elections, pertinently, Senior Counsel P.P Hegde was elected to the Karnataka State Bar Council for the fourth consecutive term, marking the maximum number fo times a lawyer could be elected to the council.

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