New Delhi, February 18 The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed its registry not to entertain any petitions related to state bar council elections and asked aggrieved parties to approach the apex court-appointed committee with their grievances.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant had constituted a 'High-Powered Election Supervisory Committee' headed by former apex court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia to oversee the state bar council elections.
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.
With the aim to ensure timely, transparent, and fair elections, the top court had earlier ordered that all state bar council elections across India be conducted under the supervision of retired high court judges, with a final deadline of January 31, 2026.
However, numerous petitions challenging various aspects such as the deletion of names, malpractice in polls, and extension of timelines are being filed in the top court.
On Wednesday, the bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, directed the apex court registry not to accept any fresh petitions pertaining to state bar councils and instead directed them to the Justice Dhulia committee for redressal and remedial measures.
In December 2025, the bench directed that 30 per cent representation for women lawyers in the state bar councils was "non-negotiable" and mandated that any shortfall be addressed through co-option.
It also supported initiatives aimed at enhancing the participation of specially-abled lawyers in the bar council elections, pursuant to which the Bar Council of India agreed to reduce the nomination fees for such candidates.