Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has directed that the forthcoming elections of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA), Nagpur, must be held strictly in line with the ‘One Bar, One Vote’ principle. In an interim order issued on Thursday, the bench allowed the election committee to either proceed as planned or postpone the polls by up to 15 days to ensure compliance with the directive.
The order came while hearing a petition filed by senior advocates Mohan Sudame, Swapnajit Sanyal, Makarand Agnihotri, and Neeraj Khandewale, who sought the permanent implementation of the policy. The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Rajnish Vyas.
As per the interim directions, every advocate wishing to vote must submit a written declaration affirming that they will cast their vote only in the HCBA, Nagpur, and not in any other bar association. Submission of this declaration will be a prerequisite for inclusion in the final voter list.
The court instructed the election committee to design a standard format for this irrevocable declaration and ensure its widespread circulation. It should be published with the cause list, uploaded on the HCBA’s official website, and shared through the association’s WhatsApp groups.
Members will have three weeks to file their declarations, after which the list of eligible voters will be displayed on the website. Only those who submit their undertakings within the stipulated period will be permitted to vote in the election.
The bench also stated that the issue of consequences for failing to comply with the declaration would be decided later, after hearing both sides. Additionally, all pending office objections are to be addressed before the next hearing.
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