Chandigarh November 1, 2025 (Bharat Khabarnama Bureau)- In a decisive move to uphold democratic processes within the legal community, the Supreme Court has issued firm deadlines for the long-overdue elections of several state bar councils. The court directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to ensure that polls for the Punjab and Haryana bar councils (PHBC) should be conducted by the end of this year, while the Uttar Pradesh bar council must hold its elections by January 2026.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi instructed the apex bar body to formally notify the elections for the PHBC within ten days, with the electoral process to be completed by December 31, 2025. The court further mandated that the BCI should address legitimate concerns raised by electors, particularly in UP where the voter list has not been made available online.
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, who also serves as the Chairman of the BCI, cited procedural rules requiring a 180 day period between election notification and the actual polling, indicating potential difficulties in adhering to the proposed schedule for PHBC. The bench, however, remained steadfast in its directive.
Justice Kant advised Mishra to constitute a committee overseen by a retired high court judge to facilitate the elections. Mishra confirmed that such a panel was already in place. The court then recommended appointing an additional, separate committee specifically to supervise the Punjab and Haryana polls.
The bench emphasized the importance of making a sincere endeavor to meet the December deadline, noting that any genuine obstacles could be addressed at a later stage. It appealed for cooperation to strengthen the democratic framework of these professional bodies.
“We must trust our democratic institutions to conduct fair elections,” the bench remarked to Advocate Pradeep Yadav, who had raised the issue of the unpublished voter list in UP.
The matter of the BCI’s own tenure was also brought to the court’s attention by Senior Advocate Narender Hooda, who pointed out that the current body cannot continue beyond its statutory seven-year term.
This hearing follows the court’s statement on September 24, which affirmed that all state bar council elections must be concluded by January 31, 2026 and clarified that verification drives for lawyers’ credentials cannot justify further delays. The court is currently examining a series of petitions challenging a rule that permits the extension of state bar council members’ terms beyond the limits set by the Advocates Act of 1961.
