New Delhi, Jul 28 A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking postponement of the forthcoming Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections for 2026-27 on August 18, saying the timetable for the polls was "unduly compressed", and a fair and transparent electoral process required "adequate time".
The application, filed by senior advocate and former SCBA President Adish C Aggarwala, sought a modification of the apex court's July 15 order, which issued directions concerning the electoral regime, constitution of the election committee and schedule for the elections.
The plea said that the committee on July 24 issued a notification fixing August 18 as the date for the polling. But the schedule "directly affected" the applicant's (Aggarwala's) rights as a member, voter and "intending candidate" because of the "highly compressed periods" prescribed for publication and correction of the electoral roll, adjudication of objections, nominations and campaigning, the plea added.
It said that the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections requires adequate time for preparation and verification of the electoral roll and the present schedule is "arbitrary, unreasonable and contrary to the principles of natural justice" as it deprives members of a meaningful opportunity to have their grievances regarding the voters' list properly considered.
'That the applicant's experience in earlier SCBA elections shows that an unduly compressed timetable can result in last-minute supplementary additions, voter confusion and avoidable disputes. Adequate time before publication of the final electoral roll would substantially reduce such grievances and strengthen finality of the list," the plea said.
It said that the direction to hold polling on August 18 was based on the "recorded premise" that the electoral roll had already been finalised in May. The subsequent schedule, however, which provides dates for tentative lists and objections, demonstrates that the roll still requires scrutiny and adjudication.
The petition said that the first tentative voters' list initially omitted several prominent members, including the SCBA vice president.
It argued that providing only four days for members to file objections and two days for their adjudication is "manifestly inadequate" for an electoral roll expected to contain around 3,500 to 4,000 names.
The application also raised concerns over the limited campaigning period, noting that candidates currently have only six clear days to reach out to voters, compared to 16 days in the 2023 elections. Additionally, it cited the peak monsoon season as a practical difficulty for campaigning and voter participation.
The plea has requested the court to postpone the polling date and issue a fresh schedule after the electoral roll is properly finalised, preferably by fixing the election on September 25 or any other convenient date.
"To address any concern regarding continuance of the outgoing office-bearers beyond their tenure, the applicant has also proposed that the Election Committee be temporarily entrusted with supervision of the day-to-day affairs of the SCBA, with the outgoing Executive Committee restricted to essential and routine expenditure until the newly elected Committee assumes office," the plea said.
