KASUR: The bar politics to elect new representatives each year has seen a drastic change in its culture during the last decade or so and, according to senior lawyers, it is now a matter of money talks.

As bar elections are scheduled for Jan 11 (Saturday) across Punjab, candidates violate Punjab Bar Council regulations governing the exercise. They spend a lot of money to win votes in the shape of lavish lunch and dinners, paying annual practicing fees of their supporters and gifting them outfits (worn by lawyers). The ballot at tehsil level with around 500-600 voters can cost a presidential candidate up to Rs3 million.

The entry of moneyed people who can manage law degrees and practice licence s has thrown senior and professional lawyers out of the race.

The offices and membership of bars are so lucrative that local parliamentarians and realtors associate themselves with the bar associations to seek their influence at local level whenever needed.

A senior lawyer says non-practicing or absentee lawyers always play a decisive role in the bar elections and manage election of mostly non-professional lawyers. Professional lawyers, according to him, avoid spending both time and hefty amounts on bar elections , leaving space for non-professionals. Those who spend money on bar elections have their vested interest, including protecting their business.

Muhammad Younas Bhullar, an advocate of the Lahore High Court, says the basic purpose of the elected body is to promote professionalism, introduce reforms in bar working, cultivate good relationship between bar and bench and promote ethics. But, he regrets, the ground reality is totally otherwise.

Another lawyer regrets that there is hardly any bar in Punjab where a renowned professional lawyer is president or office-bearer. “Non-professionals invest money on the bar election and, in return, use their positions to get their tasks done.”

Showing his disapproval, a senior lawyer says new comers in the bar observe non-professional approach at the very outset of their career. “Some candidates grease the palms of their voters, throw lavish parties. The practice of buying loyalties for the new vote starts a few months after each election.”

Continuing, he says even when the PBC ban on lavish parties was observed, voters were given tokens of various food points from where their supporters could get food (on behalf of the candidate). “This unhealthy trend leaves no margin for those who cannot spend money.”

Another lawyer says when the bar elections are contested on the basis of wealth, it creates room for the wrong people who can defame the profession. This situation is alarming as judges are selected from these bars.

Several senior lawyers are of the view that term of each bar official should not be more than a year as this will make room for professional people. “When a wrong person is elected, he manages his re-election for several years in next elections.”

When asked, they said only parliament could amend the act governing the bars.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2020