Blame game on in Punjab & Hry Bar Council

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 19

A day after advocate Lekh Raj Sharma claimed to have got a majority and announced to have been appointed as Punjab and Haryana Bar Council Chairman by a 15-member general house meeting, incumbent Chairman Rajat Gautam submitted a complaint to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) alleging that a group of lawyers barged into the council office by breaking open its locks.

On the other hand, Sharma said this was a mere counter plaint as he had given a complaint to the SSP and SHO, Sector 3, police station, yesterday regarding theft of valuable items and missing of advocates enrolment files, diary dispatch register and damaged name plates.

In this plaint, Gautam said when he entered the Bar Council premises his name plate was replaced by the name plate of Sharma.

He stated in the complaint that his term was going to expire in August 23, 2017. He alleged documents from his office had been stolen after breaking locks by advocates. He had demanded action against newly declared chairman Sharma, vice-chairman PS Ghuman, member CM Munjal and honorary secretary Rajeev Keswar.

Addressing a press conference today in the State Bar Council office, Sector 37, Gautam said, “For initiating a no-confidence motion, a majority of 18 members of the general house are required and to remove an office-bearer, a majority of two-third of the strength that is 21-members is required.”

While Sharma, said, “Of the total 25 members, I have a majority of 15 members while only seven of them are with him (Gautam). Three members are not participating. I condemn whatever he is doing, he should morally accept the mandate as we believe in democracy.”

Meanwhile, a few advocates filed a writ petition in the high court challenging the orders of the Bar Council of India (BCI) wherein the BCI invoked a stay on the proceedings of the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council on September 15.

“We have withdrawn the writ petition as the proceedings of the meeting held yesterday was not mentioned in it. We will be filing it again tomorrow after amendment,” Sharma added.