Not possible to provide updated voters’ list, says Bar association Chandigarh

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, July 3

In response to the notice of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana asking for an updated voters’ list the District Bar Association (DBA) Chandigarh has expressed its inability for doing so due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter dated June 25, 2020, to the Bar Council Chairman, the DBA president, NK Nanda, stated, “Already a comprehensive voters’ list has been sent to the Bar Council office. As regard the requisite requirements are concerned the DBA has prepared a full-fledged and accurate voters’ list with painstaking efforts.”

“Now, as desired by you to send another voters list in the prescribed pro forma comprising enrolment numbers, fathers’ name and mobile numbers of members will be a Herculean task in the present trying time,” Nanda added.

The Bar Council sent a letter on June 22, 2020, asking the DBA

to provide a fresh voters’ list in the prescribed pro forma. The Bar Council has sought lists from all Bar Associations as it is planning to hold online election of associations.

“Due to an unprecedented spread of the Covid-19 the working of courts has come to a standstill and lawyers are home bound due to restrictions. It is practically impossible to reach out to every lawyer and get particulars,” Nanda said.

Nanda also expressed association’s concern over Bar Council’s move to appoint an ad hoc committee. “This move will lead to utter chaos because it will trigger groupism in the association. Certain quarters of the legal fraternity will not accept an ad hoc panel to prevail upon them. Democratic acceptance comes through an elected legal representative,” Nanda said.

“There is no hurry for the appointment of the ad hoc committee as present executive committees across states are functioning smoothly,” Nanda added. Nanda requested the Bar Council Chairman to stall the decision until the pandemic mitigates.

When contacted, the Chairman, Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Council, Karanjit Singh, said, “We have sought an updated voters’ list from the District Bar Association Chandigarh to conduct an online poll.”

“There is a provision of appointing an ad hoc committee as per the council’s rules approved by the Apex Court in case the Bar Association fails to comply with the former’s direction,” he added.