Allahabad High Court frames charges against lawyer for calling judges 'goondas'
Lucknow, Aug 23: The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has framed charges against a lawyer for allegedly using abusive language and calling its judges "goondas".
Framing the charges, the court also asked why he shouldn't punished for contempt of court.
A Division Bench of Justices Ritu Raj Awasthi and Dinesh Kumar Singh further directed the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to examine the past conduct of lawyer Ashok Pande to decide whether such a person is worthy of being part of the noble profession and take appropriate disciplinary proceedings against him.
The Bench observed, "We hold that Asok Pande, advocate, has prima facie committed ex facie contempt of court during the court proceedings today, i.e. on August 18, 2021, which amounts to scandalising and lowering the authority of this court and interference with due course of judicial proceedings and, it also has tendency to interfere or obstruct the administration of justice."
"He used abusive language against the judges and said that the judges were behaving like goondas," noted the Bench in its order.
The lawyer had unnecessarily intervened during course of hearing of a case on August 18, and when the Bench objected to him and also pointed him out for not wearing decent dress and further asked him to button his shirt, he challenged the court and said that if the court had power, it could remove him from the court".
The Bench also said in the order that the lawyer on August 16, 2021 during the hearing of another plea had said that he would not don the advocate's uniform as he had challenged the Bar Council Rules prescribing the dress code for lawyers and insisted on addressing the court without donning an advocate's uniform.
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Karnataka: GBA city corporation polls likely between June 14 and 24
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka State Election Commissioner G S Sangreshi on Friday said elections to the five city corporations under the GBA will be held anytime between June 14 and June 24.
He said the exact date for the polls will be announced after a week, asserting that the power to postpone the elections, as requested by GBA authorities, lies with the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court had directed the Karnataka government and the State Election Commission to conduct Bengaluru local body elections by June 30.
On Friday, the SEC held a consultation meeting with the GBA Chief Commissioner and commissioners of the five city corporations regarding the election schedule, as per the provisions of the GBA Act.
“During the meeting, I informed GBA officials that only the election date has to be fixed, as all other measures and formalities for conducting the polls have already been completed,” Sangreshi said.
“They requested the Commission to consider factors such as rains, exams, census work, SIR, and manpower shortages while fixing the date and sought additional time,” he added.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, “I told them this meeting was not for seeking time. Elections to the five corporations under the GBA must be held before June 30, as directed by the Supreme Court, and a compliance report must be submitted to the court. I do not have the power to postpone the elections as requested.”
The Supreme Court has already given a “final opportunity,” and both the SEC and the government must comply with its directions, the State Election Commissioner said.
He asked GBA officials to suggest suitable dates between June 14 and June 24.
“While stating that they are ready for elections, the officials highlighted operational challenges, including manpower shortages. However, I have informed them that the elections will have to be held between June 14 and June 24. After a week, I will announce the final date,” he said.
Reiterating that he does not have the power to postpone the elections, Sangreshi said the authority rests with the Supreme Court, and elections must be conducted as scheduled.
“We have consulted the GBA as per the rules. It is up to them to suggest a date within the given window. If they need more time, they must approach the court. Our responsibility is to fix the date and complete the polls before June 30,” he said.
The matter regarding manpower and other concerns raised by GBA officials is already before the Supreme Court, and the State Election Commission has also filed a petition in this regard. The case is yet to be heard.
“Since the matter has not come up for hearing, the earlier order remains binding. Therefore, preparations are underway,” he added.
The tenure of the previous elected body under the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) ended on September 10, 2020, and since then, a government-appointed administrator has been managing its day-to-day affairs.
Bengaluru was divided into five municipal corporations—Central, East, West, North, and South—under the Greater Bengaluru Authority in September 2025, replacing the BBMP.
Sangreshi had earlier said that elections to the five corporations would be conducted using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines.
This follows the Congress government’s decision last September to recommend the use of ballot papers in all future panchayat and urban local body elections, citing concerns over declining public confidence in EVMs.
The state government subsequently enacted the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2026, paving the way for the use of ballot papers in local body elections.
