Orissa HC Gives Green Signal For Holding State Bar Council Election

The Orissa High Court on Tuesday granted permission for the conduct of election to the State Bar Council within 6 weeks while hearing a plea filed by the former chairman of the Council.

“During today's hearing, Justice Arindam Sinha directed to conduct election within one and half month time," said Chinmay Mohanty, Former Chairman of Odisha Bar Council.

As per reports, Mohanty, had filed a plea before the State's top court seeking a direction to conduct the election. In his plea, Mohanty had stated that the 5-year tenure of the Council had ended in 2018. Since then, the election remains withheld which has resulted in the inconvenience of the lawyers. The lawyers are unable to resolve different work-related issues in the absence of the elected body. 

Earlier, a plea was filed by the Council before the High Court which stated that the final list of voters was not prepared as the verification of the lawyers was still on in order to meet the directives of The Bar Council Of India (BCI). The election can't be conducted unless the final list of voters is prepared, the Council had informed.

However, dismissing the argument made by the Council, the HC ordered to conduct the election based on the available voter list.