Standards of ethical values higher for lawyers seeking to contest bar polls: Supreme Court

The standards of ethical values are higher for lawyers, the Supreme Court on Friday (January 9, 2026) said while refusing to allow a plea of a Telangana lawyer who has been barred from contesting the upcoming State Bar Council elections on account of pending criminal complaints.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and M. Vipul Pancholi prima facie observed that “he is not the person who should be allowed to contest the (Telangana State Bar Council) elections.” The top court was hearing a plea of Rapolu Bhaskar, a prominent Telangana High Court advocate, assailing provisions of disqualification of an advocate in State Bar Council.

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Referring to the provisions, a lawyer, representing Mr. Bhaskar, said he was neither convicted nor punished in any matter. “The standard of ethical values is higher for lawyers,” the CJI said, adding that lawyers often approach courts when any tainted person is contesting general elections.

Referring to the recent poor public perception about bar leaders, the CJI said if the bar bodies are trying to maintain certain professional standards then they should not be stopped from doing so.

The counsel for Mr. Bhaskar said he filed around 22,000 cases in his career as a lawyer so far, and he should not be stopped from contesting elections on the basis of two complaints which have been filed by third parties.

Senior advocate and Bar Council of India Chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra said that elected members of a State Bar Council also perform a quasi-judicial function by deciding disciplinary cases against the lawyers.

The CJI said, “If the lawyer persists with the argument that his plea be decided, then the Bench will pass some orders. Sensing the outcome, the lawyer decided to withdraw the case.”

Following orders from the Supreme Court, the State Bar Council elections in Telangana are scheduled to be completed by January 31.