BCI Dissolves Delhi Bar Council, Forms Panel to Oversee Fresh Elections
The Bar Council of India (BCI) has dissolved the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) and set up a three-member Special Committee to manage its affairs and hold fresh elections by January 31, 2026, as directed by the Supreme Court.
The move comes after the BCD repeatedly failed to complete the mandatory verification of advocates and finalise the electoral rolls despite several extensions.
According to the BCI’s letter dated October 10, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma will head the committee. Senior Advocate Maninder Singh and Advocate Neeraj, President of the Central Delhi Court Bar Association, will serve as members.
The BCI said this step was necessary to ensure compliance with Supreme Court orders and to restore a “lawfully elected Council” based on a verified roll of advocates. The Special Committee will have full control over the BCD’s funds, staff, and records.
The BCI added that the decision was taken after observing “persistent discrepancies, delays, and non-compliance” from the BCD, even after multiple warnings and time extensions since June 2023.
Earlier, the BCD’s term was extended due to pandemic-related delays in verifying lawyers’ degrees and certificates. However, it continued to miss deadlines despite reminders in November 2024 and March 2025.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed that elections to all State Bar Councils must be concluded by January 31, 2026, and sought a status report on their progress by the end of October this year.
