The Delhi High Court recently postponed bar elections in the national capital to December 13. Earlier, it was scheduled to be held on October 19.
A full bench comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justices Vibhu Bakhru and Yashwant Varma on October 1 ordered that keeping in view the aforesaid Supreme Court order dated 26th September, 2024 as well as the fact that the GBM has been called for on 7th October, 2024, and the process of nomination of candidates, which normally takes twenty one days, can start only post Supreme Court hearing on 16th October, 2024. It added that the date of election to all the Bar Associations is postponed to 13th December, 2024.
The Delhi High Court was hearing an application lodged by the Secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) to postpone the upcoming polls. Initially, two writ petitions were lodged before the High Court by a few women lawyers. One of the petitions sought directions to all district bar associations in the national capital to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in all Bar elections, and the other sought reservation for women in the Executive Committee of the DHCBA.
When the High Court adjourned the matters to November 27, the women lawyers moved the Supreme Court challenging the adjournment. The apex court urged the Association to reserve at least four out of ten Executive Committee posts for women, including the post of Treasurer. The case before the apex court will be heard next on October 16.
Meanwhile, the High Court has now allowed the postponement of the Delhi Bar elections. The Court clarified that in case the Delhi High Court Bar Association seeks extension of time for filing/ submission of Declaration Forms or for filing forms on the portal for issuance of Proximity Cards, they are at liberty to approach the Security Committee overseeing issuance of Proximity Cards.
Reportedly, the DHCBA general body on Monday dismissed the adoption of resolutions favouring reservation of posts for women in its Executive Committee. Earlier in March, the High Court had directed that elections for all bar associations in the national capital should be held simultaneously and on the same day.