District Magistrate declares Anantnag Bar elections ‘null and void’, cites ‘violations of official orders’
The District Magistrate of Anantnag has declared the recent District Bar Association elections null and void, citing violations of official orders and failure to meet mandatory registration requirements. Lawyers involved in the election have contested the decision, claiming the process was conducted with proper observation and intended to maintain court decorum.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant administrative conflict between local government authorities and legal professional bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, raising questions about the autonomy of bar associations.
SrinagarThe elections to District Bar Association Anantnag in south Kashmir held on October 27 has been declared “null and void” by the District Magistrate over alleged “violations of official orders and non-fulfilment of mandatory requirements”. In an order, the District Magistrate said these elections “have been conducted in blatant violation of the orders, without fulfilment of the prerequisite conditions, without any intimation to this office and without any permission from this office”. “The election has been conducted in violation of the provisions of Societies Registration Act 1860 (As applicable in Jammu and Kashmir) and Indian Trust Act 1882. The elections conducted by the organisation operating under the name and style of District Bar Association Anantnag, held on 27-10-2026, are hereby declared null and void, ab initio and non-est in the eyes of law,” reads the order.
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