AJAYINDER SANGWAN & ORS. versus BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI
[2017] 11 S.C.R. 264, Supreme Court of India, 2017
Outcome: Directions issued
Segment: Body
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[2017] 11 S.C.R. 264 
AJAYINDER SANGWAN & ORS. 
v. 
BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI 
(T11ansferred Case (Civil) No. 126 of 2015) 
NOVEMBER 24, 2017 
(R. K. AGRAWAL AND ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE, J.J.J 
Bar Council - Election of State Bar Council - Supreme Court 
by order dated 23.8.2017, directed to hold election of various State 
Bar C'ouncils H'ith certain directions - The aclvocates H1ere given 
time to submit applications.for 11ecessa1y verification of their degrees 
for the purpose of including their names in electoral roll -A number 
of applications were filed by various State Bar Councils as a/so by 
individuals slating rhat the Universities were taking lot of time to 
verify the Law Degrees and the advocates who have submiued their 
jorms for verification should not be left out from participating in 
the elections - Bar Co1111ci/ of India (BCI) filed <({fidavit on 
I 5.ll.2017 wherein the report of the Min/I/es of the Meeting of the 
Central Verification Committee of the BCI was enclosed which 
showed that a total number of 15. 34,531 advocates were enrolled 
with various State Bar Councils. out of which, only 6, 44, 768 
adi•ocates suhmilled their forms for Perificaticm - The State Bar 
Councils sent 5,2 3, 706 LLB Degrees for verification, out of which, 
the Universities have sent the reporrs ll'ith regard to onlv 1,65,339 
degrees - The Universities have 1101 yet sent the reports regcurling 
verification of the Law Degrees in respect of 3,58,367 advocates -
Thus, about 4,79,429 advocates who have alreac~v submitted their 
forms and Law Degrees for verification would he adversely affected 
for no fault of theirs - 111 view of thesefi1cts. order dated 23.08.2017 
is modi.fled - Direction passed that all those 6.44, 768 advocates, 
who have submitted their application forms along with Law Degrees 
}or verification be enrolled and be shown in the electoml list - The 
State Bar Councils to conclude all proceedings by 15.02.2018 -
Permission granted to those advocates, who have submitted their 
forms with Law Degrees but their cases are still pending for 
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AJAYINDER SANGWAN & ORS. v. BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI 
265 
verification to participate in the election by including their names 
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in the electoral roll - !Ioweve1; if on verification, the Law Degrees 
of such advocates are found false or fake as per the report of the 
concerned University then appropriate orders, in relation to their 
enrolment and also in relation to the elections in which they were 
allowed to participate, would accordingly be passed by this Court 
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on receipt of the report of the Commillee - The result of the elections 
would be subject to the final result of this petition - The order dated 
23.08.2017 is modified according(v - The Universities are directed 
to expedite the process of verification of Law Degrees and complete 
the same by 31. 03.2018 - All the interlocutory applications are 
disposed of according(v - .Matter to be listed in the second week of C 
March, 2018. 
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Transferred Case (Civil) 
No. 126 of2015. 
Under Article 32 of the Constitution oflndia. 
Jayant Bhushan, Rajiv Dutta, Y. P. Adhyaru, Sr. Advs., Vivek 
Narayan Sharma, Raj Kumar Sharma, S. N. Sharma, S. K. Sharma, 
Taruncsh Kumar, Arun Rathi, Dccpak Schrawat, Gaumv Chandhok, 
Dushyant Yadav, Dhan Singh. Pradecp Sharma, Rohan Sharma, Irfan 
Firdous, Ms. Rishina Parashar, Narcndra Singh, Anirudha Kumar, 
Y. P. Singh, Kuna! Chopra, Ms. Sweely Challopadhyay, Vikas Kumar 
Dangi, Kaushikesh Kumar, San jay Singh, Sabyasachi Shekhar, Siddharth 
Mahajan, Amit Kumar
Sharma, Sachin Choudhary, Anmol Singh, 
Summinder Pi1swan, Karmesh Sharma, Puncet, D. P. Mohanty, Aditya 
Sharma, Akash.Jindal, Tanuj Agrawal (For MIS. Parekh & Co.), 
Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad, Ms. Taruna Ardhendumauli Prasad, 
Nirmal Kumar Ambaslha. Ms. Gunwanl Dara, Rajesh Ranjan, Ms. Kirti 
Dua, M. K. Maroria, Mrs. Sarla Chandra, Pravcen Agrawal, Gagan 
Gupta, H. Chandra Sekhar, Ashwani Kumar Dubey, Venkalcswara Rao 
Anumolu, Prabhakar Parnam, Anand K.Sethi, Mrs. Nandini Gore, 
Parmanand Pandey, Ranjan Rastogi Singh, Mata Prasad Singh, Uttkarsh 
Pandey, Niraj Srivastava, V. K. Vasdeo, V. K. Bhardwaj, Keshav Rai, 
Sudarshan Singh Rawat, Ms. Poli Kataki. R. Balasubramanian, Gaurav 
Shanna, Dhawal Mohan, Amandeep Kaur, Prateek Bhatia, Abhishek, 
Rameshwar Prasad Goyal, Ms. K. V. Bharathi Upadhyaya, M. Shocb 
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS 
[2017] I 1 S.C.R. 
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Alam, Ms. Fauzia Shal<ll, Ujjwal Singh,,\ lojahid Karim Khan, Mohindcr 
Jit Singh. Ms. Slomita Rai. Prang Newmai. E. C. Agrawala, Himindcr 
Lal, Shibashish Misra, Mritunjay Kumar Sinha, Subhasish Mohanty, 
Mohammed Sadiquc T.A., Amo! B. Karandc, Gopal Prasad, Anupam 
Lal Das, P. Vcnkpl Reddy. Prashant Kr. Tyagi (For M/S. Vcnkat Palwai 
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Law Associates). Ms. Sncha Kalita, Vikas Upadhyay, Yidit Monga, 
Ms. Aparna Jha, Surcsh C. Sati, Pradccp C. Sati (For Dr. Kailash Chand), 
Jogy Scaria, Bccna Victor, Miranda Soloman, Rakesh K. Sharma, 
Ms. Ruchi Kohli, Dr. Manish Singhvi. lrshad Ahmad, Yipin Kumar, 
Abhishek Tandon, Harish Tandon, Baldcv Atrcya, Deepak Gocl,Aditya 
Singh, Rituraj Chaudhary, Pijush K. Roy, Ms. Kakali Roy, Rajan 
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K. Chourasia, Ms. Lalita Kohli, Abhishek Swarup (For M/S. Manoj 
Swarup amt Co.), Sudhanshu S. Choudhari, Ms. Surabhi Gulcria, 
Ms. Pushpa Devi Sikri, Ms. Manju Jelley, Ms. Malini Poduval, 
D. P. Mohanty, Aditya Sharma, Akash Jindal, Tanuj Agrawal (For MIS. 
Parekh & Co.), Anurag Dubey, Ms. Mcenakshi Paniker. Rajesh Pandey, 
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S. R. Selia, Mrs. Santosh Singh, Ms. Kamakshi S. Mchlwal, Y. Raja 
Gopala Rao, Kuna! Chatterji, Ms. Maitrayce Banerjee. Rajccv Singh, 
Anjani Kumar Mishra, Ms. Hardeep Kaur, Ms. Christi Jain, Harvindcr 
Chowdhury, M/S. Lemax Lawyers & Co., Yishal Khattar, 
M. A. Chinnasamy, Ms. C.Rubavathi, V. Scnthil Kumar, P. Y. Dinesh, 
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A. V. Rangam, Sunil Fernandes, Harsh V.
Surana, K. V. Mohan, 
K. V. Balakrishnan. Gaurav Agarwal, Amit Kapur, Kuna! Singh, Ms. Alvia 
Ahmad. Pukhrambam Ramesh Kumar, Uday Manaktala, Shishir Pinaki, 
Rajiv Kumar Sinha, Ms. Sumi P. S., Vibhakar Mishra, K. K. Gautam, 
Nischal Kumar Neeraj, D. Kumamm, Suvendu Suvasis Dash, Shekhar 
Kumar, Ms. Kasturika Kaumudi, Ms. Daisy Hannah, Ms. Ekta Pradhan, 
Ms. Sreoshi Chattc1jcc. Manoj Ranjan Sinha. Ms. Mani Shandilya, Kishor 
Lambat, Ms. Manju Jaitcly, Atul Jha, Sandccp Jha, Dharmcndra Kumar 
Sinha, Advs. for the appearing parties. 
· Ajayindcr Sangwan, Petitioner-in-Person 
The Order of the Court was delivered by 
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R. K. AGRAWAL, J. I. A bunch oflnterlocutory Applications 
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forclarificationiimpleadmcnt/dircction/intervention/ appropriate order, in 
the lead matter, after the order passed by this Court on 23.08.2017, is 
being disposed of by this common order.
AJAYINDER SANGWAN & ORS. v. BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI 
[R. K. AGRAWAL, J.] 
2. Heard learned counsel for the parties. 
3. All the impleadment applications are allowed. Let them be 
imp leaded as respondents. 
4. Vidc order dated 23.08.2017, this Court had directed to hold 
the election of various State Bar Councils with certain directions. The 
said directions are reproduced hereinbelow:-
"7) We have been informed by learned senior counsel for the 
Bar Council of India as well as the respective State Bar 
. Councils that the process of verification is not completed yet. 
In view of that, to do complete justice to the parties, it would 
be proper for us to provide a last opportunity for the same as 
mentioned below:-
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( I) 15 (fifteen) days' time be given to cure the defective 
applications by the concerned Advocates and to all such 
advocates to submit their complete application fonns for 
necessary verification of their degrees if they have not 
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submitted the same earlier, from the date of publication 
of advertisement in two leading newspapers, one in 
English language and the other in regional language 
having wide circulation in the respective State/Union 
Territories, for which advertisement shall be published 
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within 7 days from the passing of this order. 
(2) l (one)month time for verification of applications. without 
any charge, by the State Bar Councils, after the expiry 
of the above 15 (fifteen) days. 
(3) The University Authorities shall ensure the
verification 
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of degrees awarded by them, without any charge, within 
l (month) on its presentation. 
(4) The respective State Bar Councils shall publish a Final 
Electoral Roll by including the names and particulars of 
such advocates whose degrees attached with the 
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application forms have been verified by the concerned 
University authorities.The names of all such advocates 
who have not removed the defects in the application 
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS 
[2017] l l S.C.R. 
forms already submitted within the specified time and 
also such persons whose degrees on verification have 
been found false or fake by the University authorities 
shall not be included in the Electoral Rolls. 
(5) Bar Council oflndia lo declare the schedule of elections 
in respective State Bar Councils to be held after the 
expiry of 75 (seventy five) days, as mentioned above, 
within one week mentioning thercin:-
(i) 15 duys for nomination. 
(ii) 1 week for withdrawal ofnomination. 
(iii) to upload final candidates' list in 1 (one) week. 
(iv) to decide the date of election. 
8) 
We fiu1her make it ckar that all the steps be taken by all 
the parties concerned in the matter for the purpose of 
elections in respect of all the Bar Councils where the 
term of the existing members have already expired or to 
be expired. We further make it clear that although this 
order has been passed in favour of the verification only 
for the purpose of the election but it would also include 
for the purpose of the verification of all other learned 
lawyers who have already applied within the time 
stipulated by this Court. 
9) 
We direct all the State Bar Councils to take necessary 
steps and to conclude all proceedings by 31 .12.2017 und 
send a reply to the Bar Council oflndia. Thereafter, the 
Bar Council oflndia. after receiving all the replies from 
the State Bar Councils, would file a status report." 
5. A
number of applications have been filed by various State Bar 
Councils as also by individuals stating that the Universities are taking lot 
of time to verify the Law Degrees and the advocates who have submitted 
their forms for verification should not be left out from participating in the 
elections of the Members of various State Bar Councils with which they 
have been enrolled. 
6. An affidavit has been filed on behalf of the Bar Council of 
lndia (BC!) on 15.11.2017 wherein the report of the Minutes of the
AJAYINDER SANGWAN & ORS. v. BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI 
[R. K. AGRAWAL. J.] 
Fourth Meeting of the Central Verification Committee of the Bar Council 
oflndia held on 12. 11.2017 has been enclosed. From a perw;al of the 
said Minutes, we find that a total number of 15,34,531 advocates have 
been enrolled with various State Bar Councils. out of which, only 6,44.768 
advocates have submitted their forms for verification. The State Bar 
Councils have sent 5,23,706 LLB Degrees for verification, out of which, 
the Universities have sent the reports with regard to only 1,65,339 degrees. 
7. The Committee has further found that the progress cannot be 
said to be very good but at least it is satisfactory. From the aforesaid, we 
find that the State Bar Councils have not sent 1,21.062 LLB Degrees 
fur verification to the various Universities. Further, the Universities have 
not yet sent the reports regarding verification of the Law Degrees in 
respect of3.58,367 advocates. Thus, about 4, 79,429 advocates who have 
already submitted their forms and Law Degrees for verification would 
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be adversely affected for no fault of theirs. Taking into consideration the 
aforesaid facts, we deem it fit and proper to modify our order dated 
23.08.2017 and direct that all those 6,44,768 advocates, who have 
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submitted their application forms along with Law Degrees for verification 
be enrolled and be shown in the electoral list. Of course, those advocates 
whose Law Degrees have been found
false or fake as per the reports of 
the Universities shall be excluded from the electoral list. The electoral 
list be published by 30.11.2017 and the time schedule mentioned in para 
7 of the order dated 23.08.2017 will start from 01.12.2017. The State 
Bar Councils shall conclude all proceedings by 15.02.2018. 
8. We make it clear that we have provisionally permitted those 
advocates, who have submitted their forms with Law Degrees but their 
cases arc still pending for verification to participate in the election by 
including their names in the electoral roll. However, if on verification, 
the Law Degrees of such advocates arc found false or fake as per the 
repi>rt of the concerned University then appropriate orders, in relation to 
their enrolment and also in relation to the elections in which they were 
allowed to participate, would accordingly be passed by this Couit on 
receipt of the report of the Committee. 
9. We also make it clear that the result of the .elections would be 
subject to the final result of this petition. 
I 0. The order dated 23.08.2017 is modified accordingly. We also 
direct the Universities to expedite the process of verification of Law 
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SUPREME COURT REPORTS 
[2017] I I S.C.R. 
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Degrees and complete the same by 31.03.2018. All the interlocutory 
applications are disposed of accordingly. 
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11. List the matter in the second week of March, 2018 on a Non 
Miscellaneous Day (NMD). 
Dl•vika Gujral 
Din..-ctions issued.