SCBA President justifies decision to suspend secretary Ashok Arora

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President and senior advocate Dushyant Dave on Monday justified the May 8 decision of its executive committee to suspend Secretary Ashok Arora with immediate effect, saying the decision was not motivated by any personal bias.

The statement of the SCBA President assumes significance as during the day the Bar Council of India (BCI), the apex lawyers' body, stayed the decision of the Executive Committee of SCBA to suspend Arora as secretary with immediate effect by terming the suspension as illegal, cavalier, undemocratic and autocratic.

Referring to the suspension of Arora as SCBA Secretary in a meeting held through online conference,, Dave said, the Executive Committee consists of outstanding Women and Men. They are competent, committed, sincere and above all possess outstanding integrity. Each of them is independent and participated in EC in a meaningful and objective manner.

The EC meeting took place in a very cordial atmosphereand deliberations and discussions were fair and free. Members exchanged their viewpoints and ultimately voted with their free will. Importantly Arora was given full opportunity to put forward his thoughts and points. To keep the objectivity of the proceedings, I didn't participate in voting and also requested the Vice President Kailash Vasdev to conduct the meeting, which he did with great deftness and patience, he said.

The senior advocate said the EC was left with no option but to suspend Arora and the immediate provocation by Arora to bring the EC into crisis and thereby hurt the reputation of the SCBA by calling an EGM unilaterally you oust me as the President, was to say the least, unfortunate.

Dave, in a letter addressed to SCBA members, also announced that he would contribute Rs 25 lakhs for the welfare of needy Bar members during the pandemic.

I call upon you, especially successful lawyers, seniors and juniors, counsels or Law Firm Partners and Associates, Law Officers and all others, to please come forward without and delay. People need us, let us not disappoint them, he said.

The differences between SCBA Secretary Arora and SCBA President Dushyant Dave had come out in open recently leading to the suspension of Arora by the Executive Committee of the SCBA on May 8.

The suspension had come after Arora had called an emergent general meeting (EGM) of the lawyers' body on May 11 to deliberate on agenda for removing Dave from the post of SCBA President. However, the meeting was later cancelled.

The BCI took note of the representation of Arora on his suspension and came out with the resolution staying the suspension with immediate effect.