The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned for December 15 hearing on an appeal filed by former Secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Ashok Arora challenging the Delhi High Court order refusing to stay his suspension from the SCBA.
A bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar, which was hearing the case through video-conferencing, adjourned the hearing for next Tuesday due to audio issues. The apex court also allowed Arora's request to argue his case in-person.
During the brief hearing, Arora brought to the notice of the bench that despite his suspension, the letterhead of the SCBA showed his name as Ashok Arora, Honorary Secretary under suspension. He said this is "defamatory and humiliating".
On May 8, the SCBA had suspended its Secretary, Ashok Arora, with immediate effect after the Executive Committee (EC) took this decision in a meeting.
A division bench of Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Justice Asha Menon of the Delhi High Court on November 18 declined to stay the SCBA resolution suspending Arora from the post. Arora approached the top court against the High Court order.
Arora's suspension had come after he had called an emergent general meeting (EGM) of the lawyers' body to deliberate on the agenda for removing senior advocate Dushyant Dave from the post of SCBA president. The Executive Committee had also canceled the proposed EGM and decided to set up a three-member panel to look into the allegations against Arora.
It was said the decision to suspend Arora was taken by the majority of participating lawyers.
The Bar Council of India had on May 10 stayed the May 8 decision to suspend Arora with immediate effect by terming the suspension as illegal, cavalier, undemocratic and autocratic.
In the High Court, Arora has also sought to pass a decree of permanent injunction in favour of him and against SCBA, thereby restraining it and its office bearers and employees from interfering in the functioning of Arora to perform his duties as duly elected secretary of SCBA for the remaining term, for which he was elected.
He had also sought a direction to the BCI to ensure that its May 10 resolution is duly implemented in letter and spirit by the SCBA.
( With inputs from ANI )
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