Supreme Court Seeks Affidavit From Complainant In SCBA Poll Irregularities Case, Warns Of Coercive Action
The Court cautioned that failure to comply would attract “coercive action"
The Supreme Court on Thursday took note of a complaint alleging serious irregularities in the recently held elections of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), and directed the complainant, Advocate Dr. Mukut Nath Varma, to file an affidavit substantiating his allegations.
The matter was heard by a Bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta in the ongoing proceedings between the SCBA and BD Kaushik.
Dr. Varma, who had submitted a written complaint dated May 26 raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, claimed he was reluctant to appear earlier out of fear. “I didn’t come to court earlier because I feared members of SCBA might cause harm. The election process is completely compromised,” he submitted.
Taking serious note of the complaint, Justice Surya Kant observed: “Dr. Varma, you have submitted a complaint on 26th May. File an affidavit in support of your allegations. Then we will explain the implications of filing such a complaint..
In its order, the Court directed Dr. Varma to submit an affidavit affirming the contents of his complaint and appear personally before the Bench on the next date of hearing. The Court cautioned that failure to comply would attract “coercive action.”
The hearing marks yet another development in the ongoing litigation concerning the transparency and fairness of the SCBA election process.
Case Title: SCBA v. BD Kaushik