Bar, Bench & Litigation

K K Sareen (pictured) has been elected chairman and Jaiveer Nagar vice-chairman of the Delhi Bar Council while Rajinder Singh Rana has been declared member delegate for the Bar Council of India (BCI).

Sareen and Nagar have both defeated their respective opponents Rakesh Tiku and Luthra & Luthra partner Vijay Sondhi by 16 against 9 out of total 25 votes that were cast yesterday (22 February).

Rana on the other hand won over Puneet Mittal by 19 votes for the BCI representative post, although Sondhi is contesting that result.

Nitin Alhawat, who was earlier the additional secretary of Delhi Bar Association, has now been made the honorary secretary of Delhi Bar Council.

Former chairman of the council Ved Prakash Sharma said: "We have chosen a very good, energetic and experienced team and they will work for the welfare of the entire legal fraternity."

The new office bearers Nagar and Alhawat had also been elected to be the council for the first time in December 2009.

Voting for the Delhi Bar Council was held in two phases on 1 December 2009 and 2 December 2009.

The election results were declared on 18 December 2009.

Since then a temporary executive body was in place for the day-today administration of the Bar Council. Members vying for the top slots were engaged in protracted negotiations since then for the final executive body appointments, while a group of 13 members petitioned against the election committee's conduct, getting the election cancelled on 5 February.

Luthra & Luthra partner Sondhi has said he is contemplating challenging the election result in court after he filed five objections against the process of election which he said were not considered either orally or in writing.

He had filed three objections before and two objects during the course of voting, all of which Legally India has seen.  

Sondhi said: "We have reasons and rights to go to the court and get the anomalies rectified."

In his letter dated 22 February to the secretary Sondhi alleged violation of Rule 8(1) Chapter I Part II of BCI Rules and sought to contest for the post of Member, Bar Council of Delhi.

Among other reasons, Sondhi alleges that some votes were not held in secret, that nominations for the BCI representative election were closed improperly and that the earlier "infirmity" of members of the election committee also contesting for the executive committee posts was not cured in the current election.