ELECTION RESULT FOR ABA PRESIDENT POST CHALLENGED, NOTICES ISSUED

AFTER COUNTING OF VOTES ON SEPTEMBER 26, AM TRIPATHI LOST TO RAKESH KUMAR CHAUDHARY BY ONE VOTE.

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday issued notices to the Elders’ Committee of the court and returning officer of the Awadh Bar Association (ABA) election on a petition challenging election result for the post of president of the bar association.

Advocate AM Tripathi bagged 854 votes. He lost to Rakesh Chaudhary by a margin of one vote, who secured 855 votes.

A division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Suresh Kumar Gupta issued notices to the Elders’ Committee of the high court and returning officer of the election. The court issued the notices on AM Tripathi’s petition seeking recounting of votes.

The ABA election was held on August 14. However, returning officer Vinod Shahi cancelled the election due to irregularities during polling of votes.

The court took suo motu cognizance of the issue and issued guidelines for voting and election process. It also fixed September 25 for polling of votes and counting on the next date.

The Lucknow high court’s directives for the ABA election were challenged before the Supreme Court. But the court turned down the appeal and upheld the high court’s decision.

After counting of votes on September 26, AM Tripathi lost to Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary by one vote.

Tripathi made a request for recounting of votes before returning officer IB Singh, who forwarded the request before the Elders’ Committee of the high court.

Senior advocate Ashok Nigam, chairman, Elders’ Committee, turned down the request for recounting of votes and declared Rakesh Kumar Chaudhary as the new president of the ABA.

Tripathi moved the high court challenging this decision and sought recounting of votes.