Justice Dhulia panel to inquire into allegations of horse trading in Chhattisgarh Bar Council poll
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked a high-powered committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to inquire into the allegations of horse trading and electoral malpractices in the election of the office bearers of the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council. The results of the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council Election 2025, held after a gap of about 11 years, have been declared. The voting for the election took place on September 30, 2025, with over 13,000 advocates participating to elect 25 members.
After the election of 25 members, the chairperson and other office bearers are elected amongst the 25 elected members. Senior advocate and Bar Council of India (BCI) chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra told a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that the apex bar body has filed a petition seeking transfer of a plea from the Chhattisgarh High Court to the top court.
He said that despite the specific order from the top court that no High Courts shall intervene in matters pertaining to State bar council elections, the State High Court dealt with a case on the issue.
Recently, the High Court questioned an order signed by BCI chairperson Mishra to defer the election of office bearers to the Chhattisgarh State Bar Council and asked the BCI to explain the basis of such a decision.
Taking note of the submissions, the CJI asked the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee headed by Justice Dhulia to inquire into the allegations of electoral malpractices and give a report in two weeks.
The top court disposed of the plea pending in the High Court and reiterated its order that no High Court shall intervene in issues related to state bar council polls, as the same is being monitored by it.
The bench also authorised the Justice Dhulia committee to conduct the elections of office bearers of the state bar council. The expenses of the Justice Dhulia committee shall be borne by the Bar Council of India.
Besides Justice Dhulia, the committee also comprises Justice Ravi Shankar Jha (former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court), and senior advocate V Giri, to supervise the overall process.
