The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea by a Telangana-based lawyer barred from contesting the upcoming elections to the Telangana State Bar Council due to pending criminal complaints, observing that legal professionals are expected to uphold elevated ethical standards.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, made the oral observation while hearing the petition filed by advocate Rapolu Bhaskar, a well-known practitioner at the Telangana High Court.
“Not the person who should be allowed to contest”
While the case was being argued, the bench remarked “he is not the person who should be allowed to contest the Telangana State Bar Council elections”, referring to the pending criminal complaints against Bhaskar. His counsel had argued that there was no conviction or punishment in any of the matters, and hence, disqualification was unwarranted.
However, Chief Justice Surya Kant underlined the higher ethical bar applicable to the legal profession. “The standard of ethical values are higher for lawyers,” the CJI said. He noted that lawyers themselves routinely challenge the candidature of individuals with questionable backgrounds in general elections and, therefore, must adhere to similarly rigorous standards when it comes to their own professional conduct.
Bar Council Role and Public Perception
CJI Surya Kant also referred to the declining public perception about bar leaders, stressing that bar councils seeking to enforce professional standards should not be obstructed.
The bench was informed by Bar Council of India Chairperson and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra that members elected to state bar councils are not merely representatives but also perform quasi-judicial roles, particularly in deciding disciplinary matters involving other lawyers.
Petitioner Withdraws Plea
Bhaskar’s counsel submitted that he had filed over 22,000 cases in his legal career and urged the Court to disregard the pending complaints as they were filed by unrelated third parties. However, sensing that the bench was disinclined to grant relief, the petitioner chose to withdraw the plea before any formal order could be passed.
Bar Council Elections by January 31
The Supreme Court has already directed that the elections to the Telangana State Bar Council must be concluded by January 31, 2026. The outcome of this case underscores the judiciary’s commitment to preserving integrity within the legal profession, particularly in the context of bar council elections.
