SC asks election committee of SCBA polls to conduct recounting of votes for EC members

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the election committee of bar body SCBA to conduct recounting of votes of nine executive members to assuage the grievances of some members, who have alleged irregularities with the help of some apex court staff.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan, which praised the election committee appointed by the apex court to conduct the polls of the bar body, termed the irregularities alleged as "bona fide error" and said that they have done commendable job.

"As regards the election of nine junior executive members, we have impressed upon the election committee to hold a recount of votes to satisfy some aggrieved members. Since some members of the election committee are not available during partial working days (of the apex court), we have requested them to undertake the exercise immediately after courts reopen and all of them are available," the bench said.

It added that the top court will provide adequate staff for recounting of votes of the executive members.

"Recounting of votes shall be done in presence of candidates/nominees. However, they shall not interrupt the process," the top court said.

During the hearing, the top court also expressed its displeasure over the allegations levelled by former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Adish Aggarwala against members of the election committee.

However, Aggarwala later withdrew his complaint.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who was appointed member of the election committee narrated the sequence of events that took place after the polls and pointed out the allegations of irregularities.

He said that 14 representations were received with various grievances out of which six have been elected.

The bench posted the matter for further hearing upon reopening of the court in July.

On Monday, after recounting votes for the post of president, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh secured 1,051 votes, Senior Advocate Pradeep Rai got 825 votes, Senior Advocate Adish Aggarwala secured 611 votes out of 2576 valid votes polled.

The top court told the election committee to conduct recounting of votes in the recently concluded SCBA polls in view of alleged irregularities in the process.

It had told Hansaria that recounting of votes for the post of president of the bar body should be conducted first followed by the counting of votes for the executive members.

Hansaria said the election committee has decided to conduct a recounting of votes after there were complaints regarding votes counted exceeding the number of votes polled.

He said the election committee had received a complaint from senior advocate Adish Aggarwala, who has contested for the post of president that the total number of votes declared valid for the post of president was 2,651 which exceeded the total ballots issued, that is 2,588.