The Supreme Court today allowed newly qualified Advocates-on-Record (AORs) to participate in voting in the SCAORA elections, while restricting their right to contest. Clarifying its interim arrangement, the Court directed:

“Advocates-on-record who were registered on 16th April 2026 shall be permitted to cast their vote provisionally; however, they shall not be entitled to contest the election.”

The writ petition was filed for the inclusion of newly qualified Advocates-on-Record (AORs) in the voters’ list for the SCAORA elections

Read at- Writ Petition in Supreme Court Challenging Exclusion of Newly Inducted AORs from SCAORA Election Voting https://thebarbulletin.com/sc-writ-aor-voting-rights-scaora-election/

When the respondents submitted that more such writ petitions could be filed and sought time to either address the issue or consider postponing the election to engage with the newly added votes, the Supreme Court allowed them limited liberty to explore postponing the election for 1 week to complete the formalities of membership enrollment of new AORs (Petitioners), but refused to modify its earlier direction permitting provisional voting. Expressing disapproval over the approach taken, the Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked:

“I’m surprised. I’m so disappointed. They (new AORs) are your family members. Only because of administrative exigencies, I could not call them in court. You should welcome them”

Justice Joymalya Bagchi added that “They are at the threshold, for all practical purposes, they have complied with all the requisites for membership. We are permitting them to vote.”