‘One Lawyer, One Vote’: High Court Delivers Key Verdict
The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed strict enforcement of the “One Bar, One Vote” rule, stating that lawyers who have opted to vote in the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) elections will not be eligible to vote in the District Bar Association (DBA) elections.
A division bench of Justices Anil Kilore and Raj Wakode ordered that the names of such lawyers be removed from the Nagpur District Bar Association’s voter list. These include advocates who had earlier submitted affidavits declaring that they would not participate in voting for any other bar association. The DBA elections are scheduled for April 24.
The court observed that lawyers who have voluntarily chosen to vote exclusively in the HCBA should not be included in the DBA electoral roll. It also directed the HCBA to submit a list of such lawyers, along with copies of their affidavits, to the DBA within three days.
Upon receiving the list, the DBA has been instructed to remove the names from its voter list within a week.
Earlier, on October 16, 2025, the High Court had issued an interim order making it mandatory for lawyers to declare their intention to vote in only one bar association. The latest directive reinforces that order and aims to ensure transparency in the upcoming DBA elections.
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