The Jammu and Kashmir administration scrapped the elections of Anantnag district’s bar association the day after they were held.
Anantnag district magistrate said that “the election process of the District Bar Association, Anantnag, was prohibited under an order dated 02-01-2025”.
“However, owing to the non-fulfilment of the prescribed requirements, the election process was again prohibited vide Order No. The Anantnag Bar Association has around 700 lawyers who voted in the election for the posts of president and secretary, according to lawyers. The order issued by the district magistrate said the elections were conducted in violation of provisions of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (as applicable in Jammu and Kashmir) and Indian Trust Act, 1882. 62-DCA of 2026, dated September 28, 2026.
“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,” read the order. The officer said that the lawyers’ body failed to fulfil the prerequisite conditions to hold the elections and conducted them “without any intimation to this office and without any permission from this office”. Citing orders issued in January 2025, the district magistrate said that “the election process of the District Bar Association, Anantnag, was prohibited under an order dated 02-01-2025″. The bar association needed to submit a registration certificate, constitution and memorandum, bye-laws governing the functioning of the organisation, a list of current executive members and members enrolled during the preceding ten years along with their complete details, and a detailed statement of accounts before holding the polls, according to the order. The said order remains in force,” an official spokesman said.
