BCI's resolution circulated to Returning Officers, High-Powered Election Committees and BCI's letter are illegal and violative of Supreme Court order: Supreme Court's High Powered Election Supervisory Committee

Justice (Retd.) Sudhanshu Dhulia headed 3-member Supreme Court's High Powered Election Supervisory Committee has passed an order, wherein, it concluded that the resolution dated July 19, 2026 passed by the General Council of the Bar Council of India (BCI) "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 December 8, 2025 in Yogmaya M.G. vs. Union of India "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." The case was filed in the Supreme Court on August 26, 2024, registered on September 9, 2024. It was disposed of by an order dated August 4, 2026 with "liberty to seek redressal of their grievances, if and when any such occasion arises, through an appropriate petition." The two other members of the Supreme Court's High Powered Election Supervisory Committee are Justice Ravi Shankar Jha and V. Giri.  

Justice Jha is also a member of the Supreme Court's 5-member High-Powered Enquiry Committee headed by former top court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy (HPEC) to independently examine allegations of violence during the student demonstrations held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and other locations across the country last month, according to Supreme Court's order dated August 18, 2026.
 
Supreme Court's High Powered Election Supervisory Committee passed an order dated July 23, 2026, wherein, it issued a direction, which reads:"6. For abundant precaution, therefore, we direct all the High-Powered 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. 8. Further, the Principal Secretary, Bar Council of India, is directed to circulate this order to all the High-Powered Election Committees and the Returning Officers by issuing a letter, along with a copy of this order. The compliance of the same shall also be communicated to the Supervisory Committee."