Senior Advocate Dr. Adish C. Aggarwala has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the 2025 Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) presidential election results, alleging significant irregularities in the voting process.
Dr. Aggarwala, who was SCBA President during the 2023–2024 term, contested the election held on May 20, 2025. In that election, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh was declared elected as President for a record fourth term, receiving 1,047 votes, while Aggarwala secured 683.
In his plea, Aggarwala alleges that around 200 more votes were cast than the number of voting slips issued, raising concerns of ballot stuffing or procedural lapses. He claims the total number of votes exceeded the ballot papers and slips actually issued by the election officers.
Additionally, Aggarwala alleges that one of the Election Commissioners, Senior Advocate Mahalakshmi Pavani, actively campaigned for Vikas Singh, thereby compromising the neutrality of the election process.
He also accused Singh of violating election rules by continuing his campaign beyond the allowed time period, including by sending emails after campaigning was supposed to end.
The petition was mentioned before a bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, who indicated that a Special Bench comprising himself and Justice K.V. Viswanathan would hear the matter. This bench has been overseeing issues related to SCBA elections.
Justice Kant stated that the matter would be taken up when Justice Viswanathan is available and noted, “There is no question of listing today. Heavens won’t fall.”
The Court has directed Aggarwala to file a formal application with an affidavit and to serve it to the respondents.
If the allegations are found to be valid, the Supreme Court has indicated it may consider setting aside the election results. The case could have wide-ranging implications for the conduct and credibility of internal elections within the SCBA.
