Two candidates bag Delhi Bar Council seats after early count

Saturday, 12 December 2009 By Neha Chauhan News

The first results of the Delhi Bar Council elections are in, with two candidates already safely past the post out of 129 candidates competing for 25 places.

Abhay Verma was the first candidate to have been declared victorious after the first round of counting, being selected under a so-called “regional quota preference”, according to a person closely involved.

The incumbent chairman of the Delhi Bar Council KK Manan has also been confirmed as the second winner with sufficient votes.

The voting system for the Delhi Bar Council is a system of proportional representation, where each voter has 25 preferential votes, in which they mark candidates in order of preference.

Counting is still ongoing after the 4 December vote and counting has been ongoing non-stop, according to sources. About 40 persons from the Bar Council of India (BCI) office have been engaged in the process.

Luthra & Luthra partner Vijay Sondhi is the only lawyer from a major law firm running for election to the Delhi Bar Council.

The counting is taking place under the supervision of returning officer SK Mahajan.

A source said that it was a very complex and long-winded process which does not allow any scope for error.

The elections saw a turnout of 50 per cent of almost 20,000 votes out of a total of 41,000, according to an online news report by Yahoo!.

Comments

Anonymous 12 Jan 2010, 06:55

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Mr. Abhay Kumar Verma has created a history which is a commendable victory, by getting 835 First Preference Votes. This victory is impossible to achieve on the basis of regional preferences. Expressions like ‘regional quota preference’ are mark of dishonor to such unanimous victory.

Anonymous 12 Jan 2010, 06:56

He has been a great support and very co-operative, whenever I have sought for his help. This is really encouraging for freshers like me. This is the reason why I cast my vote in favour of Abhay Kumar Verma.

Anonymous 12 Jan 2010, 15:07

He, not belonging to my region, can never be criteria for judging the candidature of Abhay Kumar Verma. His continuous support in all respect has brought him this victory, to which I adore by casting my vote in his favour.

Anonymous 14 Jan 2010, 21:10

Comments like so called " regional quota preference" by the author are very unfortunate and repugnant in nature. While making such comments, author should have known that her so called "regional quota preference" would have helped Mr. Abhay Verma barely win the election and by no means would have helped him obatain maximum votes.Such massive victory would not have been possible but without overwhelming support of the Advocates cutting across caste, creed, religion and region too.Such comments are an affront to thousands of those, who preferred him not for his "region" but for his attitude and willingness to help out and co-operate with others.Such comments are like projecting an evil of her making( her so called" regional quota preference") into innocent minds of thousands of those , who supported him cutting across regional considerations. Such comments seem to reflect her own "regional bias" and frustration to swallow the victory of "not so urbane and high profile person".

Anonymous 14 Jan 2010, 21:25

Author seems to be totally unaware of the composition of Bar Council members belonging to different regions.If she tries to investigate into it, she would discover that two more members have been elected from the same region to which Mr. Abhay Verma belongs.If votes of all from the same region would have gone to Mr. Abhay Verma, other two wouldn't have been elected.This goes on to show Abhay Verma's "broadbase" support among the lawyers and she should not try to disparage his "historic victory" by trying to belittle it by making comments like "regional quota preference"

Anonymous 14 Jan 2010, 22:22

One shouldn't try to deride Abhay Verma's victory by using phrase like "Regional Quota preference". Many people like us have voted for him not for "regional affiliation" but for his attitude and his willingness to help out fellow advocates facing "genuine problem". If you would have come across any "genuine problem" in the past and if you would have approached him and others for help, you would have found that while others would have avoided you , he would have extended you, his full support. That's the difference between him and others and that's why large no. of people from different regions supported him and result is a massive victory for him.

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