Supreme Court Directs State Bar Council Elections by January 31, 2026, Warns of Commission if Delayed

The Supreme Court has ordered that elections for the State Bar Councils across India, which have not been held for many years, must be conducted by January 31, 2026, either simultaneously or in a phased manner.

The Court emphasised that the verification of advocates' LLB certificates should not indefinitely delay the elections, despite concerns about fake voters and even criminals posing as lawyers.

The Bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan, and N. Kotiswar Singh, warned that if elections are not conducted by this deadline, the Court may appoint a commission to oversee the process.

[M. Varadhan v. Union of India & Anr]