PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL) No. 3571 of 2025 at Allahabad

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL) No. - 3571 of 2025 All India Lawyers Union .....Petitioner(s) Versus Bar Council of India and 2 others .....Respondent(s) Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Ashutosh Kumar Tiwari Counsel for Respondent(s) : Ramanand Pandey A.C.S.C, Ashok Kumar Tiwari, Sai Girdhar Chief Justice's Court HON'BLE ARUN BHANSALI, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE KSHITIJ SHAILENDRA, J. 1. This petition purportedly in public interest has been filed by the petitioner-Union through its Joint Secretary seeking to question the validity of Rule 8(ii) of Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh Election Rules, 2024-25 (for short, 'the Rules') (amended in April 2024 and approved by the Bar Council of India vide e-mail letter dated 04.1.2025). 2. Submissions have been made that the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh has framed the said Rules which have provided for security deposit for contesting elections to the tune of Rs. 1,50,000/- which has been approved by the Bar Council by reducing the same to Rs. 1,25,000/-. 3. Submissions have been made that the amount demanded as security deposit is excessive, arbitrary and contrary to the democratic ethos of legal profession and a dir