Today, the Supreme Court stayed the counting of votes for the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) elections after allegations surfaced regarding tampering of ballot papers during the poll process.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also transferred multiple petitions raising concerns over irregularities in the elections to a special bench of the Delhi High Court.

The issue was mentioned before the Bench by advocate Shobha Gupta, who informed the Court that even allegedly tampered ballot papers were being included in the counting process. Taking note of the allegations, the Supreme Court stayed the counting of votes until the High Court decides the matter. The apex court also directed the High Court to hear the case on a day-to-day basis.

The Bar Council of Delhi elections were conducted in February under the supervision of retired Delhi High Court judge Justice Talwant Singh, who acted as the returning officer. However, the elections soon became controversial over alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct and Election Rules, 2023.

On February 22, sixty-seven candidates, including two Senior Advocates, were placed under summary suspension over alleged large-scale violations. Suspension notices were issued to seventy-nine lawyers in total. A day later, sixty-three of those notices were withdrawn after the candidates submitted explanations.

The controversy further escalated when the Bar Council of India placed a lawyer under interim suspension for allegedly misbehaving with Justice Talwant Singh. The lawyer was accused of trying to manhandle the retired judge, provoking a crowd of lawyers, and raising slogans against the election machinery during an inspection related to MCC violation complaints.

Last month, the Bar Council of Delhi also suspended former Delhi High Court Bar Association President Rajiv Khosla along with nine other advocates for allegedly manhandling and abusing officials involved in conducting the elections.

Amid the growing controversy, Justice Talwant Singh wrote a confidential letter to the Supreme Court on May 2 regarding the conduct of the elections, while several petitions were filed alleging irregularities in the poll process.

In its order passed today, the Supreme Court also directed its registry to forward Justice Singh’s confidential letter to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court for appropriate action