DBA poll: 3,021 voters to decide fate of 35 contestants

The District Bar Association (DBA) is all set for the annual election to different posts on Feburary 28. A total of 3,021 voters will decide the fate of 35 candidates and choose the new executive for this year under strict police vigil.

On the last day of canvassing, candidates left no stone unturned to woo the voters. They were seen canvassing in groups in chambers of lawyers. Tea parties, lunch diplomacy, late night parties were in full swing before the elections. Young lawyers were seen full of enthusiasm during the elections campaign, particularly for the six posts of executive members.

Divulging details, returning officer Lokesh Batta said that the polling would start at 9 am and continue till 4.20 pm without any lunch break. He said that for conducting fair elections 20 CCTV cameras had been installed. A team of 50 lawyers, including the present executive and 12 DBA employees, would assist in conducting the elections. If any bogus voter was found, he would be handed over to police and sent behind bars.

The Bar council of Punjab and Haryana has appointed senior lawyers Gian Singh Mangoo, Gurjinder Singh Dhaliwal and Rajinder Singh Jassar as observers.

For the president’s post, Vipin Saggar, Gurpreet Singh Arora, TPS Dhaliwal, Harvinder Singh, Harinder Singh Narang and Sanjeev Malhotra are among the six candidates contesting the election. For the vice-president’s post, there are six contenders: Gagandeep Singh Bedi, Sukhwinder Singh Bhatia, Anil Saggar, Charanjit Singh Channa, Gursimar Singh Alag and Rakesh Kumar Gupta.

For the secretary’s post, Himanshu Walia, Harsh Sharma, Rajinder Singh Bhandari and Hariom Jindal are in the race. The joint secretary’s post will witness a three-way contest between Rachna Soni, Rahul Sharma and Rimaljeet Singh Rampal. The finance secretary’s post will also see a triangular competition between Mayank Chopra, Amit Gupta, and Ved Bhushan Sharma.

For the six-member executive committee, Harjeet Singh Bhatti, Harjeet Kaur, Jasbir Singh, Karan Tiwari, Lalita Pakhral, Munish Kumar, Nisha Bhatti, Piyush Chawla, Ramandeep Singh, Samar Sharma, Sandeep Singh, Sukhjeet Singh Bajwa, and Sunita have filed their nominations, making it a 13-candidate contest.

The result for all posts, except executive, will be declared the same evening after counting of votes. The counting of votes for the six executive posts will be conducted on March 1.