The Supreme Court has partially modified its earlier order on electoral reforms for the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections, stating that the suggested reforms, including new voter eligibility norms based on court appearances and a two-year term for office-bearers, will take effect only from the 2027-28 election cycle.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice K.V. Viswanathan agreed to accept a “unanimous request" from the Bar that the reforms should not be applied to the upcoming 2026-27 elections, as the electoral roll had already been finalized on May 26, 2026 with a cut-off date of February 28, 2026.

“The election for the year 2026-27 will be held as per the regime that was obtained prior to the order of this Court dated 29.05.2026 since the electoral roll already stood finalized before the order of 29.05.2026, with the cut-off being 28.02.2026.”, the Court said.

For conducting the election for the year 2026-27 and for the term 2027-29, the Court constituted the five-member Election Committee, comprising:

(1) Mr. Jaideep Gupta, Senior Advocate – Chairman

(2) Mr. S.B. Upadhyay, Senior Advocate

(3) Mr. S. Guru Krishna Kumar, Senior Advocate

(4) Ms. Vibha Datta Makhija, Senior Advocate

(5) Mr. Dinesh Kumar Goswami, Senior Advocate

Polling Will Take Effect Around August 18, and Newly Elected Executive Committee Will Be Positioned by August 21

“The election schedule for the year 2026-27 will be notified by the Election Committee in such a manner that polling takes place around 18.08.2026 and the Executive Committee is in position on or before 21.08.2026. This direction is in supersession of earlier directions on this aspect.”, the Court said.

Since, the proposed electoral reforms are postponed to be implemented from the 2027-28 election cycle, the Court said that the mandate of the Election Committee will not expire after conclusion of the upcoming 2026-27 elections, and the committee will be a continuing body to operationalize the reforms and work out the details and do everything that is required to put in place the reforms, except the finalization of the electoral roll.

“We direct that the Election Committee after the declaration of results for the year 2026-27 will not become functus officio. It will be a continuing body so as to operationalize the reforms and work out the details and do everything that is required to put in place the reforms, except the finalization of the electoral roll. The exercise be done on or before 31.12.2026. The electoral roll for 2027-28 will finalized by the above referred Election 10 Committee as on 28.02.2027 followed by the election in July, 2027.”, the Court said.

Cause Title: SUPREME COURT BAR ASSOCIATION VERSUS B.D. KAUSHIK & ANR.

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