Heavy turnout in Bar election

AMIDST HECTIC lobbying, 87 per cent of voters cast their votes during the Civil Court Bar Association election here on Tuesday. The exercise to elect new office-bearers began at 10 am. There were 56 candidates for various posts, including four for president and six for secretary.

AMIDST HECTIC lobbying, 87 per cent of voters cast their votes during the Civil Court Bar Association election here on Tuesday. The exercise to elect new office-bearers began at 10 am. There were 56 candidates for various posts, including four for president and six for secretary.

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Polling was slow initially, but picked up pace as the day progressed. Supporters of candidates tried to convince lawyers to cast their votes in favour of particular nominees. Soaring temperature failed to dampen the spirits of the electorate. Senior lawyers also participated in the election with gusto.

Prominent among those contesting for the post of president were: Padmakar Tiwari, Madhusudan Tiwari, Brij Bihari Lal Srivastava and Shyamji Ojha.

The court premises wore a festive look as supporters of candidates threw confetti in the air. It was almost as if a students’ union election was being held.

A large police contingent was deployed in and around the court premises to maintain law and order, as police apprehended a confrontation between supporters of various candidates. Election officer Virendra Bahadur Khare heaved a sigh of relief after the election concluded. He said the counting of votes would start later in the evening. As many as 1,236 voters out of a total of 1,432 exercised their franchise.

It may be recalled that the Civil Court Bar Association president, along with other office- bearers, had resigned from their posts, owning moral responsibility for collapse of the porch of an under-construction advocates’ chamber.