Bar Association Alleges 'Bias' Over CJI Event as Crucial Bar Council Polls Begin

A brewing standoff has surfaced within the judicial corridors of Ranchi as the Advocates' Association of the Jharkhand High Court strongly voiced its discontent after being excluded from the official reception organized for the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant. In a formal memorandum submitted to the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the legal body termed the logistical arrangements "blatantly discriminatory" toward its elected office-bearers and general members during the high-profile ceremony held on the court premises on November 2, as well as the exclusive state dinner hosted at Hotel BNR Chanakya. This institutional friction comes at a pivotal juncture, unfolding just hours before the apex leadership elections of the Jharkhand State Bar Council take place on Wednesday.Selective Invitations Trigger Outrage: Association Submits Formal Memorandum to Chief JusticeThe grievance was formally presented in an official letter drafted by Advocates' Association General Secretary Naveen Kumar, highlighting deep disappointment across the local bar. As the primary representative body representing practicing advocates across the state high court, the association noted it was entirely customary and expected for its executive committee to receive standard protocol invitations to welcome the Chief Justice of India. Instead, neither the central body nor its general membership was included in the invitations for the main campus event. The tension escalated further regarding the state dinner at Hotel BNR Chanakya in Ranchi, where organizers reportedly invited a handpicked minority while omitting most executive committee members—a selective arrangement that the association argued fosters unnecessary division and undermines the dignity of elected bar representatives.Jharkhand State Bar Council Elections Underway: Chief Returning Officer Justice Ambuj Nath Sets ScheduleAs debates over court protocol simmer, all attention shifts to the crucial election of office-bearers for the Jharkhand State Bar Council and its representative to the Bar Council of India (BCI) on Wednesday, November 4. Chief Returning Officer Justice Ambuj Nath confirmed that comprehensive administrative and security arrangements have been finalized, with the formal polling process scheduled to commence at 11:15 AM. A selective electoral college comprising 26 eligible electors—consisting of 25 Bar Council members alongside the Advocate General of Jharkhand—will cast their votes via secret ballot. Officials confirmed that counting will commence immediately after the close of polling, with the final victory tally and new council leadership announced later the same afternoon.High-Voltage Leadership Battles: Direct Face-Off for President and Multi-Cornered Fights for Key PostsThe polling arena is set for intense, close contests across key executive offices, highlighted by a direct head-to-head clash between Nilesh Kumar and AK Chaturvedi for the top post of Bar Council President. The race for Vice President features a competitive four-cornered struggle among Anil Kumar Mahato, Madhulata Rani, Mrityunjay Kumar Srivastava, and Rinku Bhakat, each rallying support across regional bar factions. Concurrently, the vital seat for the Bar Council of India (BCI) member will be contested by Manoj Kumar (number two), Prashant Kumar Singh, and Sanjay Kumar Vidrohi, setting up a decisive shift in Jharkhand's state legal leadership.