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Delhi HC defers Shahdara Bar elections to May 24 over EVM and cost concerns

Delhi HC defers Shahdara Bar elections to May 24 over EVM and cost concerns

NEW DELHI: The Delhi HC on Thursday deferred the Shahdara Bar Association elections to May 24 citing logistical and financial concerns. The elections were originally scheduled to take place on May 9. The decision came from a full bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh, Navin Chawla and C Hari Shankar.
The Court was acting on a report submitted by Justice Talwant Singh (Retd.), who chairs the Shahdara Bar Association Election Committee.Justice Singh, in his report to the Registrar General, raised serious concerns over the availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and the estimated expenditure for conducting the elections.
He informed the Court that the EVMs initially planned for use were being allocated to the Saket Bar Association on May 9. However, Delhi University, the provider of these machines, had expressed willingness to supply them on May 24 instead. Justice Singh emphasised that holding elections using paper ballots would be both complicated and financially burdensome.
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