The Kerala High Court has issued a notice in a writ petition filed by Advocate Dheeraj Ravi, challenging the results of the recent Kollam Bar Association Board of Directors election. The petition alleges procedural lapses and electoral malpractices during the election held on July 5, 2025, prompting the Court to admit the plea and issue notice through a special messenger.
Justice N. Nagaresh, while hearing the petition on July 31, admitted the matter and scheduled the next hearing on August 8.
The Kollam Bar Association, registered as a non-trading company under the Kerala Non-Trading Companies Act, 1961, is subject to the Companies Act, 2013. As per Section 430 of the Act, civil courts do not have jurisdiction, making the High Court the appropriate forum for such disputes.
Advocate Dheeraj Ravi, a former president of the Association and a candidate from Constituency No. 3, approached the court after losing by one vote in a recount. Initially tied with the winning candidate, Ravi alleges that the recount lacked transparency and was handled improperly.
"Instead of personally supervising the recount, the Returning Officer handed over ballot bundles to various volunteers," the plea claims.
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The petition further alleges that the tabulation sheet used during the recount was reused and overwritten by another advocate, which undermined the credibility of the election process.
Additional concerns raised include:
- Impersonation of voters
- Lack of a signed voters register
- Failure to verify voter identities
- No audit trail for the votes
- Outgoing board members allegedly influencing voters by circulating messages endorsing a pre-selected panel
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Despite a written request to seal the ballots until proper recounting was done, the Returning Officer did not respond. A follow-up detailed requisition by the petitioner was also ignored.
“The absence of safeguards in the election process has affected the sanctity and impartiality expected of the Bar Association elections,” the petition states.
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The petitioner has requested the High Court to:
- Quash the election result
- Order a fresh election for Constituency No. 3
- Ensure the next election is held under the supervision of an Advocate Commissioner
- Formulate formal election rules
- Apply the Election Commission's Guidelines and Model Code of Conduct in the interim
The case, titled Dheeraj Ravi v. Bar Council of Kerala and Ors. and numbered WP(C) 28082/2025, is being argued by Advocates Akhil Suresh, Kalliyani Krishna B., Amrith M.J., Anita Elizebeth Babu, and Rahul T.