Supreme Court Sets Up Two New Election Tribunals for State Bar Councils – Justice Deepak Gupta & Justice Hima Kohli Appointed

<h2>Supreme Court Constitutes Two New Election Tribunals for State Bar Councils</h2> <p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Supreme Court of India — the apex judicial body in India, responsible for constitutional interpretation and final appellate jurisdiction (GS2: Polity)">Supreme Court</span> ordered the creation of two additional <span class="key-term" data-definition="Election tribunal — a special three‑member quasi‑judicial panel set up to resolve disputes arising from professional body elections quickly (GS2: Polity)">election tribunals</span> to speed up resolution of disputes arising from State Bar Council elections. The tribunals will be headed by former Supreme Court judges <strong>Justice Deepak Gupta</strong> and <strong>Justice Hima Kohli</strong>.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>A bench comprising <strong>CJI Surya Kant</strong> and <strong>Justice Joymalya Bagchi</strong> directed the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Bar Council of India — statutory body that regulates the legal profession and legal education in India (GS2: Polity)">Bar Council of India</span> (BCI) to obtain formal consent of the proposed members and to notify the tribunals within three days.</li> <li>The two new tribunals will work alongside the existing three‑member tribunal headed by former SC judge <strong>Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia</strong>.</li> <li>Each tribunal will consist of a former SC judge as Chairperson, a former High Court Chief Justice as Member, and a <span class="key-term" data-definition="Senior Advocate — a designation given to experienced lawyers recognized for their expertise, often appointed as members of tribunals (GS2: Polity)">Senior Advocate</span> as the third member.</li> </ul> <h3>Composition of the New Tribunals</h3> <ul> <li><strong>Tribunal 1</strong>: <strong>Justice Deepak Gupta</strong> (Chairperson), former Andhra Pradesh High Court Chief Justice <strong>Dhiraj Singh Thakur</strong> (Member), and Senior Advocate <strong>Mahalakshmi Pavani</strong> (Member).</li> <li><strong>Tribunal 2</strong>: <strong>Justice Hima Kohli</strong> (Chairperson), former Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice <strong>Tarlok Singh Chauhan</strong> (Member), and Senior Advocate <strong>Kaveeta Wadia</strong> (Member).</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts from the Hearing</h3> <p>Advocate <strong>Kumud Lata Das</strong> highlighted a dispute concerning the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Reservation for women — constitutional or statutory provision to ensure a minimum percentage of seats for women, relevant to gender equity (GS4: Ethics)">reservation for women</span> (20% quota) where five candidates were to be elected. She argued that the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Hare‑Clark system — a proportional representation voting method using preferential ranking, used in some elections (GS2: Polity)">Hare‑Clark system</span> of counting was not followed and that the elimination list was published after the first‑preference count.</p> <p>The BCI disclosed that it had already framed rules in 2023 for constituting election tribunals, and one three‑member tribunal is functioning. BCI Chairman <strong>Manan Kumar Mishra</strong> asserted that two tribunals are essential to address disputes from the 2026 bar council elections.</p> <h3>Relevance for UPSC Aspirants</h3> <p>This development underscores the judiciary’s role in ensuring transparent and timely resolution of internal elections of statutory bodies, a key aspect of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Bar Council of India — statutory body that regulates the legal profession and legal education in India (GS2: Polity)">BCI</span>. Understanding the mechanism of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Election tribunal — a special three‑member quasi‑judicial panel set up to resolve disputes arising from professional body elections quickly (GS2: Polity)">election tribunals</span> helps candidates answer questions on institutional checks, judicial oversight, and the implementation of reservation policies.</p> <p>The mention of the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Hare‑Clark system — a proportional representation voting method using preferential ranking, used in some elections (GS2: Polity)">Hare‑Clark system</span> also provides a comparative perspective on voting methods, useful for GS2 questions on electoral reforms.</p> <h3>Way Forward</h3> <p>The Court has left the factual and legal issues to the newly constituted tribunals. Both tribunals are expected to decide the pending disputes expeditiously, while the State Bar Councils must preserve relevant records until final orders are issued. The outcome will set precedents for future professional body elections and may influence further reforms in the BCI’s electoral framework.</p>