The Bar Association of India (BAOI) has elected Society of Indian Law Firms (Silf) president Dr Lalit Bhasin as its new president, according to a press release from the bar body.

Bhasin, who was previously general secretary for 20 years between 1991 and 2010 and vice president after that, was elected with 88 per cent of votes of its governing council on 11 September in Delhi.

Outgoing President is senior advocate RKP Shankardass.

Senior counsel KN Bhatt, who was associate president, also contested for the presidency against Basingstoke and won nine votes, while Bhasin picked up the remaining 67 votes.

Executive vice-president Prashant Kumar was elected to the president elect, while senior counsel Amarjit Singh Chandhiok, Pinky Anand and Shyam Divan were elected as vice presidents.

Yakesh Anand will be general secretary.

Bhasin said in a press release: “It is a unique honour for me to be elected to this prestigious position, particularly, keeping in view that my predecessors have been such illustrious names as Mr. M C Setalvad, Mr. C K Daphtary, Mr. Fali Nariman and Mr. Anil Divan. At the same time, it adds to more responsibilities which I am confident, I will be able to discharge with my team of Mr. Prashant Kumar, President-Elect, Mr. Yakesh Anand, General Secretary and others.”

The BAOI website does not appear to have been updated recently (since it still lists Bhasin as general secretary, a position he has not held since 2010, and the latest event advertised on the website having been in 2009).

According to its website the BAOI was started in 1960 under MC Setalvad as president, with the following objectives:

The objects of the Association are broad based and aim not only at the furtherance of the interests of the profession but set before it the task of public and national welfare in many directions. We aim at upholding the Constitution of India, the representative, free and democratic form of Government established by it and the promotion of the Rule of Law we are to endeavour to apply our knowledge and experience in the field of law to the promotion of the public good. We have pledged ourselves to promote the improvement of legal education and to undertake instruction in law and allied subjects. We are also to take measures for the provision of free legal aid to the poor and the establishment and maintenance of a system of prompt and efficient legal advice for persons irrespective of their capacity to pay. I have mentioned but a few of our objects which will tend to the public weal. In addition we shall also function in our own characteristic fields; such as, the promotion of the science of jurisprudence, the encouragement and conduct of research in legal and allied fields, the reform of administration of justice and law and the promotion of the uniformity of legislation and judicial decision.