SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 8: The oldest member and former minister of Jharkhand, Mannan Mallick was stopped from casting his vote in the Dhanbad Bar Association poll which began here on Thursday morning.
Eighty years (80) old Mannan Mallick reached the Bar early morning for casting his vote but State Bar Council appointed election officers stopped him on the technical ground saying that he had not updated his membership of the Bar.
Election officer advocate Devi Sharan Sinha said that Mannan Mallick had not updated his membership due of Bar Association. So he can’t be allowed to vote.
Without making any argument the former minister returned to his Housing Colony based residence. In 52 years this was the first time Manann Mallick, who is also a senior Congress leader, has been denied voting in Bar Election. In 2021 he had cast his vote in the Bar poll.
Mannan Mallick joined the Dhanbad Bar Association and began law practice in 1972. He completed his BL from Magadh University, Gaya ( Bihar) during 1968-71 and after getting his degree began practice in Dhanbad.
Earlier, voting of the Dhanbad Bar Association began at 8.30 am under the supervision of State Bar Council observers advocate Sukhdeo Bidrohi (Ranchi) and Brahmanand Mandal (Giridih).
Besides Devi Sharan Sinha, advocates HC Mallick and Arun Kumar Tiwary are members of the election committee.
Sinha said voting would be continued till 4.30 pm today. The counting of votes would be started from tomorrow ( Friday ) morning.
A total of 2086 eligible voters of the Bar would select candidates for 16 posts. Three candidates are contesting for the post of president.
Election committee member Devi Sharan Sinha said that till 12-noon voting process was peaceful and no protest from any candidate was lodged. However, election committee members opposed some members using mobile phones while casting votes and warned to cancel franchisees if found taking directions on their mobile phone.
A long queue of voters appeared from the early morning. Some voters who missed the breakfast packet lodged the complaint.
