BJP Sweeps West Bengal Bar Council Elections, Takes President and Vice‑President Posts

What Happened

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the West Bengal Bar Council elections on Thursday, winning the President, Vice‑President and the state’s representative to the Bar Council of India. Samir Pal was elected President with 188 votes, Ajay Choube became Vice‑President with 179 votes and Arun Sarkar secured the Indian Bar Council seat also with 179 votes.

Reaction

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari praised the outcome, saying the newly elected members had defeated Trinamool candidates and thanked the thousands of lawyers who placed their trust in the BJP and his government. He noted that the election took place before the state assembly polls and that the results were reflected afterward. Adhikari also criticized Trinamool, calling its leaders “fragmented” and pointed to a recent rally by the Belaghat MLA, who was seen leading a small crowd with old party flags.

Context

The Bar Council, which has more than a thousand practising lawyers in West Bengal, was previously controlled by the Trinamool Congress, with MLA Ashok Deb serving as its chairman. According to Sangbad Pratidin, the BJP’s win in the council mirrors its broader electoral gains in the state, marking what the source describes as the party’s first-time entry into power in Bengal.