Retired SC judge wades into factional tug-of-war within SCBA

NEW DELHI: Prestigious Supreme Court bar Association, once led by stalwart of lawyers, has been reduced to a wrestling bowl with the secretary's attempt to convene a general body meeting for removal of the president leading to the latter retaliating with executive committee to suspend the secretary.
The matter reached advocates' regulatory body Bar Council of India, which on May 10 passed a resolution saying, “We are of the unanimous view that the resolution passed by the Executive Committee (of SCBA) on May 8, 2020 suspending Ashok Arora is beyond the powers of Executive Committee and is, therefore, illegal, cavalier, undemocratic and autocratic in nature."
With the SCBA's EC refusing to acknowledge BCI's jurisdiction to intervene in its internal matters and president Dushyant Dave and acting secretary Rohit Pandey and treasurer Meenesh Dubey carrying on with the activities of the SCBA, Arora rallied support from members and retired judges.
Civil liberty votary and rights activist retired judge of SC, Justice P B Sawant came to Arora's aid and said, "The action taken against you by the Executive Committee is not only illegal, but also immature and ethically atrocious. The Bar Council of India has given the correct advice to you and you should follow it. In the meanwhile, there is no reason for you to be distressed, because all the actions which are being taken by the President and the Executive (Committee) during this interregnum will be illegal and the General Body Meeting can resolve accordingly."
Another right activist in retired Judge of Bombay HC turned politician, Justice B G Kolse Patil said, "President, Dushyant Dave has done great injustice by leading SCBA on the path of Adharma. I am an ardent disciple of Great Justice PB Sawant and I agree hundred percent with his views that the action taken against the Secretary, (Ashok) by the Executive Committee is not only illegal, but also immature and ethically atrocious. The Bar Council of India has given the correct advice to him and he should follow it. I wish Dushyant would correct this mistake as soon as possible to wash this black spot from his illustrious career."
The rift between Dave and Arora started with certain personal disagreements between them. When both were trying to outsmart each other, the tipping point came when Arora announced that he has got a letter signed by over 400 members of the SCBA requesting him to convene emergency general body meeting for removal of Dave from the President post alleging several actions unbecoming of SCBA president. Dave in turn accused Arora of acting illegally and unauthorisedly to attempt convene general body meeting without approval of EC