BEFORE THE HIGH-POWERED ELECTION SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE comprising of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India Chairperson, High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, Former Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court Member, High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee Mr. V. Giri, Learned Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India Member, High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee Supervisory Committee Appeal No. 108/2026 [Arising out of BCI Resolution dated 19.07.2026 (Item No.

BEFORE THE HIGH-POWERED ELECTION SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE
comprising of

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia,
Former Judge, Supreme Court of India
Chairperson, High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee

Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ravi Shankar Jha,
Former Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court
Member, High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee

Mr. V. Giri,
Learned Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
Member, High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee
Supervisory Committee Appeal No. 108/2026
[Arising out of BCI Resolution dated 19.07.2026 (Item No.
162/2026) and Letter dated 21.07.2026 with Ref No. BCI:D
4672/2026] ORDER DATED 23.07.2026
1. The General Council of the Bar Council of India has passed a resolution dated 19.07.2026, which has been circulated to all the Returning Officers and the High-Powered Election Committees, along with a letter dated 21.07.2026. A copy of the same has also been shared with this High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee.
2. The bare reading of this resolution shows that it is not just in violation of law under which the present elections are under way or concluded in many States but is also in direct violation of the Supreme Court order dated 08.12.2025 in WP(C) No.581/2024 inasmuch as it effectively increases the strength of seats in the State Bar Councils though the elections are concluded and results have been declared in most of the Bar Councils.
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3. Needless to say, the present elections are going on for such seats which are fixed by a Parliamentary statute under the Advocates Act, 1961.
4. We must though put on record here that many of the paragraphs of the resolution in question are in the form of “directions” to the Returning Officers and the High-Powered Election Committees, which have been constituted by the Supreme Court to monitor and conduct the elections to the Bar Councils. In our considered opinion, these directions cannot be implemented for the present cycle of Bar Council elections in any case.
5. All the same, to our relief, Mr. Awanish Pandey, Additional Secretary, Bar Council of India, on instructions, which have been taken during the course of the meeting, states that this resolution, including the directions contained therein, is in the form of a proposal only and would be implemented only after approval in accordance with law. If this is a proposal, then it can be effective only after approval from the appropriate authorities. Moreover, considering that the matters related to the Bar Councils are already pending before the Supreme Court, this kind of proposal cannot be implemented without the approval of the Supreme Court.
6. For abundant precaution, therefore, we direct all the HighPowered Election Committees and the Returning Officers not to act in pursuance of the Bar Council of India’s resolution dated 19.07.2026 and the letter dated 21.07.2026 bearing reference number BCI:D:4672/2026.
7. All the High-Powered Election Committees must follow the counting procedure laid down by this Supervisory Committee in its order dated 09.02.2026 passed in Supervisory Committee Appeal No. 36/2026.
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