High drama in HCBA, as poll panel members offers to resign | Nagpur News – Times of India

Nagpur: High drama prevailed in the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) meeting on Friday after five election committee (EC) members tendered their resignations citing questions being raised on their integrity and credibility, as per its office-bearers.
Quoting TOI report where lawyer Shreerang Bhandarkar blamed “some of them” as “biased and incompetent”, the EC members took a strong objection over language being used by a “section of lawyers” that depicted them in a bad light. They were also upset over Thursday’s representation by over 50 lawyers they were allegedly accused of being hand-in-glove with some contestants, who wanted to defer the March 12 polls.
Expressing shock over the development, the veteran EC members having several decades of experience requested the HCBA executive committee to constitute a new poll panel. However, after requests from the HCBA office-bearers and several lawyers, the members withdrew their resignations.
Over 70 lawyers led by Ravi Sanyal also came in support of the EC members by sending a representation to HCBA, expressing their solidarity with them. “We’ve a complete faith in their impartiality and integrity. We support their highest ethical standards set by them and have full confidence in their honesty, fairness as well as independent and non-political approach,” they said.
Sanyal told TOI that earlier representation by over 50 lawyers doubting the integrity of EC members set a bad precedent in the HCBA that had a glorious history. “We’ve full faith in each and every EC member, as we knew them for several years. Those casting aspersions on their conduct should think twice and also take into account that they’re bringing disrepute to their own esteemed institution.”
No online voting, but polls deferred to March 25: Following several requests to defer the March 12 election due to a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases, the EC members fixed March 25 as the new polling date. With a view to maintain social distancing, the elections would be conducted in five HC halls, of which one would be reserved for women. The panel also ruled out any chances of holding online voting as suggested by the HCBA office-bearers.
Atul Pande, who wrote a letter to EC, strongly opposed any plans of e-voting stating that the HCBA lacked mechanism for it. “Even the credibility of online polling will be doubtful. Installing a mechanism for it and making it tamper proof is impossible in such a short span. Moreover, the voters and candidates also need to be aware of how to use an online voting system. Instead, the polls should be postponed for the safety of all voters and no prejudice would be caused to anyone by it,” he told TOI.