BREAKING| Supreme Court Issues Directions For Faster Election Of New Bar Council Of India Members; Asks... - Live Law

**Supreme Court Accelerates Bar Council of India Elections, Tightens Oversight**

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a set of sweeping directions aimed at fast‑tracking the election of a new Bar Council of India (BCI) and tightening the regulatory framework that governs the nation’s legal profession. The apex court intervened after a prolonged impasse left the BCI without a duly elected council, prompting concerns over the body’s ability to oversee lawyers, enforce discipline and implement policy. In a concise order, the Court appointed senior advocate Vikas Mishra as *pro‑tem* chairman to steer the interim administration and set a clear timetable for the election process.

Key components of the judgment include a mandate that the BCI must complete the election of its council members within **four weeks** and that all high courts are to co‑opt the requisite number of women members within **two weeks** of the order. The Court also placed the council’s major policy decisions under the scrutiny of the Attorney General and the Solicitor General, signalling a departure from the traditionally autonomous functioning of the bar. In addition, the justices questioned the legality of the BCI chief’s five‑year tenure, directing the council to submit a detailed justification for the term and to consider a review of the tenure provision in line with constitutional norms.

The BCI has welcomed the Court’s involvement but cautioned that the accelerated timeline will test its administrative capacity. National bar associations, while acknowledging the need for swift elections, have called for broader consultation to ensure that the new council reflects the diversity of the legal community. Legal experts predict that the Supreme Court’s directives will not only restore functional governance to the BCI but also usher in a more accountable and gender‑balanced regulatory body, with the AG and SG’s oversight expected to align bar policy more closely with national legal reforms.