SC rejects challenge to Punjab and Haryana Bar Council election
- The Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council's casual vacancy election.
- Advocate Asmi, aged 23, was elected unopposed to fill the vacant seat.
- Asmi is the youngest individual to ever serve as a member of a State Bar Council.
- The vacancy occurred after Minderjeet Yadav was elevated to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
- The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal after the petitioner requested to withdraw the plea.
The challenge was filed by advocate Chetan Verma regarding the council's decision to hold an election to fill the seat.
After the Court indicated it found no merit in the challenge, counsel for Chetan Verma requested permission to withdraw the petition. The Court then dismissed the petition as withdrawn. This decision concludes the legal dispute over the procedure for filling the casual vacancy within the state bar council.
The Chhattisgarh government’s appeals were dismissed by the Court, which opted not to disturb the regular bail awarded to Tuteja.
On January 13, 2026, the Chhattisgarh High Court provided Tuteja with regular bail in connection with a custom rice milling scam case. According to the prosecution, Tuteja colluded with representatives from MARKFED and the Chhattisgarh State Rice Millers Association to solicit illegal payments from rice millers throughout the 2021–22 custom-milling season.
Tuteja is accused of influencing the custom milling scheme and receiving approximately ₹20 crore in illegal gratification through intermediaries.
In the context of the separate liquor scam case, Tuteja is accused of acting as a key figure in a corruption syndicate that functioned within Chhattisgarh’s liquor trade from 2019 to 2022. The High Court granted Tuteja bail in the liquor scam case in March 2026, noting that he had been in jail for over 18 months and the trial was unlikely to conclude soon.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant noted that while there is strong suspicion regarding the corruption allegations, it must be converted into "foolproof evidence" during the trial. The Supreme Court specified that the High Court’s remarks in its bail orders were meant exclusively for adjudicating the bail applications and do not impose any constraints on the trial court. The Court noted that the state government retains the right to petition the High Court for the cancellation of Tuteja's bail should he be discovered abusing his liberty.
Advocate Asmi becomes youngest State Bar Council member
Advocate Asmi, a 23-year-old lawyer, was elected unopposed to the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council. The Education Times reported on 29 October 2026 that she is the youngest person to serve as a member of a State Bar Council.
The Education Times described her election as a historic milestone for India's Gen Z generation. Multiple reports confirmed that the advocate secured her position without facing any opposition.
Casual vacancy follows elevation of Minderjeet Yadav
As reported by Live Law on October 29, 2026, the casual vacancy at the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana emerged following the appointment of elected member Minderjeet Yadav as a judge at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Chetan Verma's failed bid for automatic seat induction
Chetan Verma challenged an order from Election Tribunal No. Claiming entitlement to the vacant position, Verma submitted an appeal pursuant to Section 38 of the Advocates Act, 1961. He claimed his entitlement was based on securing the highest number of votes among all unsuccessful candidates during the March 2026 Bar Council elections.
Verma argued that the election process remained incomplete when the vacancy occurred, Live Law reported. The Election Tribunal rejected this position, ruling that the seat was a casual vacancy subject to Rules 45 and 46. These rules do not permit the automatic induction of the runner-up candidate into the Bar Council.
Election Tribunal mandates voting for casual vacancies
Advocate Jasbir Singh Malik, representing the Bar Council, told the tribunal that all 23 elected seats were filled when results were declared on May 5, 2026. He submitted that any vacancy occurring after that date is legally treated as a casual vacancy.
The Election Tribunal held that a casual vacancy requires an election among eligible advocates. It also vacated an interim order that had previously restrained the Bar Council from filling the seat.
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