Quit or face the music: HC Bar body to poll panel

WEDNESDAY IS THE LAST DAY TO ACCEPT NOMINATIONS FOR DIFFERENT POSTS

CHANDIGARH : The standoff between Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) and Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA) escalated on Tuesday with the latter asking the election committee members constituted by BCPH to oversee Bar body polls to tender resignations or face disciplinary action.

It was on September 12 that BCPH had changed election committee constituted for the High Court Bar body polls slated for September 30. It was changed in the wake of earlier committee headed by senior advocate KS Sidhu, chairman election committee, refusing to hold election as per BCPH directive, citing Covid-19 outbreak.

However, PHHCBA general house which met on Tuesday resolved that the new election committee constituted by BCPH should resign otherwise members appointed by BCPH would face disciplinary action from the association. The house also resolved that any member participating in election process would face disciplinary action. It also extended the term of present executive committee, headed by Bar president DPS Randhawa till the situation normalises. There are no provisions in the Advocates Act or the rules which authorised BCPH to suo motu conduct the elections of any Bar association, says PHHCBA.

However, late in the night, BCPH issued show-cause notice to president DPS Randhawa and secretary Rohit Sud, seeking their reply within three days as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them. The duo had presided over the general house. Randhawa is accused of indulging in activities to create a disharmony between legal fraternity with a purpose to continue as president.

High court Bar has nearly 4,000 registered voters. As of BCPH, it has over 1 lakh advocates as members in two states and Chandigarh and regulates entry into legal profession and oversee functioning of Bar associations, including that of high court. It was on September 9 that Bar Council had announced polls on September 30 and October 1 in high court and district courts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. Wednesday is the last day to accept nominations for different posts.

Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in high court, challenging powers of the Bar Council to hold online elections of high court Bar. It will be taken up on Wednesday. A high court bench also issued a notice on Tuesday in a plea by a member of District Bar Association, Jalandhar, Navneet Kumar Dhall, who has argued that BCPH has no jurisdiction to restrict the election to the post of certain office-bearers of the Bar association.