SC Declines To Allow Telangana Lawyer’s Plea, Barred From Contesting The Upcoming State Bar Council Elections

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to allow a plea of a Telangana lawyer, who has been barred from contesting the upcoming state bar council elections on account of pending criminal complaints.

The matter came up before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi. The bench was hearing a plea of Rapolu Bhaskar, a prominent Telangana High Court advocate, assailing provisions of the disqualification of an advocate in the state bar council.

During the hearing, a counsel, representing Bhaskar, referring to the provisions, submitted that he was neither convicted nor punished in any matter, and the counsel said he filed around 22,000 cases in his career as a lawyer so far. Senior advocate and Bar Council of India chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra said that elected members of a state bar council also perform a quasi-judicial function by deciding disciplinary cases against lawyers. The bench said if the bar bodies are trying to maintain certain professional standards, then they should not be stopped from doing so.

“The standard of ethical values is higher for lawyers,” said the bench.

The bench orally observed that lawyers often approach courts when a tainted person is contesting general elections. Bhaskar’s counsel emphasised that he should not be stopped from contesting elections on the basis of two complaints which have been filed by third parties.

The CJI said if the lawyer persists with the argument that his plea be decided, then the bench will pass some orders. Sensing that the bench is not inclined to entertain the plea, the lawyer decided to withdraw the case. Following orders from the Supreme Court, the state bar council elections in Telangana are scheduled to be completed by January 31.