Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra Elected As Chairman Of Bar Council Of India Unopposed

The Bar Council of India on Saturday announced the results of elections for office bearers of the Council held on 06.02.2022.

According to Bar Council of India's press release, Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra has been elected unopposed as the Chairman. He is getting elected as the Chairman  for the 6th time in a row. Senior Advocate S. Prabakaran, has been elected unopposed as Vice-Chairman of Bar Council of India for the 2nd consecutive term.

The tenure of the newly office- bearers will start from 17th April and they will hold their respective offices till 16th April 2025.

The press release has stated that for the first time in the history of the Bar Council of India that someone has been elected, unopposed, as the Chairman for 6th time in a row. This is unprecedented. Previously, Late Shri Ram Jethmalani, Senior Advocate had been elected as Chairmen for four terms

The release has further stated that the elections of Chairman and Vice Chairman, scheduled for 06.02.2022 were challenged before the High Court of Karnataka, by one member of the Bar Council of India. The elections had also been challenged before the Supreme Court of India too. The Writ Petition before the Supreme Court of India was dismissed with liberty to the petitioners to approach the Bar Council of India.

Further, a similar writ application was filed before Himachal Pradesh High Court and the court had issued notice to BCI but had refused to grant any interim relief to the petitioner.

Through its Order dated 01.02.2022, the High Court of Karnataka refused to stay the holding of elections of Chairman and Vice Chairman, which was scheduled to be held by Bar Council of India on 06.02.2022, but, the High Court directed the Bar Council of India not to announce the results of elections and to keep the Ballot Papers under sealed cover to be produced before the High Court of Karnataka on next date of hearing, which was fixed for 18.02.2022

The press release has stated that no other nomination paper was filed for the posts of Chairman and Vice Chairman. However on account of the orders of the High Court of Karnataka, the Bar Council of India, did not announce the result on 06.02.2022 and the entire electoral papers inclusive of nomination paper for both posts were kept in sealed cover.

After the petitioner to the above-referred writ petition before the High Court of Karnataka withdrew his writ case, the Council has announced the results of the election today.

Click here to read/download the press release