Deepak Hooda Declared New Rohtak Bar Association President

Deepak Hooda has been declared president of Rohtak District Bar Association after his only competitor, outgoing president Arvind Sheoran, was disqualified from the race due to a license suspension. This unusual development has triggered a heated debate within the legal community in Rohtak. The election, originally scheduled for February 28, was postponed indefinitely earlier this year. Only two candidates had filed nominations for the president's position – Arvind Sheoran and Deepak Hooda. 

License Suspension Leads to Disqualification

The turning point came when the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana suspended Sheoran's license. Taking advantage of this development, Hooda submitted a letter to the Election Committee on March 8, requesting to be declared the winner unopposed.

The Election Committee sought Sheoran's explanation regarding the suspension. However, finding his response unsatisfactory, the committee declared Hooda as the new president of the Rohtak Bar Association. 

Senior Advocates Question Process 

The appointment has not gone down well with several local advocates who have raised concerns about the legality of the Election Committee's actions. Naveen Singhal, a senior advocate, claimed the election process has been flawed from the beginning. "The Election Committee never followed proper procedures. They invited nominations without finalizing the voter list. Names were arbitrarily added and removed from both the candidate and voter lists," Singhal alleged. 

He pointed out that candidatures were accepted during scrutiny without objections, and final nominations were confirmed on February 14.

Calls for Fresh Election Process 

Singhal further argued that since new names were added to the voter list after nominations closed, fresh nominations should have been invited to accommodate these new voters. 

"The Election Committee had already postponed the election, so they cannot simply declare a winner under these circumstances. The election must either be rescheduled or the entire process must start afresh, following established rules," he insisted. 

The Chief Election Officer has dismissed these allegations, maintaining that all procedures were conducted according to the rules. The committee is expected to announce election dates for other positions soon.