SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 17: Altogether 19 names were suggested for the three-member election committee of the Dhanbad Bar Association at the annual general body meeting convened today on the directions of the Jharkhand High Court.
The High Court appointed special committee members after the meeting said that a total of 54 lawyers addressed the meeting and suggested 14 names. The majority of the advocates suggested selecting three names for election from a five members special committee of the High Court. So a total of 19 names were suggested for the election committee.
“ The Special committee would hold its meeting tomorrow ( April 18) and would send three names (election committee members) to the State Bar Council,” said senior advocate Brajendra Prasad Singh (one of the members of the special committee).
The Jharkhand High Court had on April 5 appointed five members special committee comprising Brajendra Prasad Singh, Sumiran Pall, Arun Kumar Singh, Bhagirath Ray and PC Mahto to conduct the General Body meeting of Dhanbad Bar Association on April 17 and take three names for the election committee.
The High Court set up a special committee for holding the AGM (Annual General Meeting) on a writ petition filed by the general secretary of outgoing district Bar Association Jitendra Kumar on March 29 against the AGM convened by the state bar council on April 1. The outgoing committee whose tenure was completed on March 26, had also called AGM on April 11.
But the two observers of the state bar council held the AGM on April 1 as scheduled and took names for holding the election. However, the High Court on April 5, directed conducting a fresh AGM on April 17.
For a while, the AGM became a bar election rally of probable candidates when they began delivering speeches against and for the outgoing committee. However, Special committee member Bajendra Prasad Singh interrupted time and again saying that don’t make the High Court convened meeting a political rally.