OD-2 WPO/29/2024 IA No.GA/1/2024 IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction ORIGINAL SIDE ANIMESH BHATTACHARYA -VERSUS- THE BAR ASSOCIATION, HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA AND ORS. BEFORE: The Hon'ble JUSTICE KAUSIK CHANDA Date:24th July, 2026. Appearance: Md. Masood, Adv. Ms. Sarbani Mukhopadhyay, Adv. …. for the petitioner. Mr. Dipanjan Dutta, Adv. Mr. Falguni Bandopadhyay, Adv. …for the Respondents. The Court:- The grievance of the petitioner is that, since the year 2019, the Bar Association, High Court, Calcutta has been conducting elections of its office-bearers by requiring intending candidates to make a pre-deposit as a condition precedent for contesting the elections. According to the petitioner, such a practice was adopted by the Bar Association without there being any resolution passed by way of a secret ballot of its members. Today, Mr. Dipanjan Dutta, learned advocate appearing on behalf of the Bar Association, High Court, Calcutta, submits that the Bar Association has, by a resolution adopted through a secret ballot on July 23, 2026, approved the requirement of a non-refundable pre-deposit as a condition precedent for contesting the elections and has resolved to give the 2 said resolution retrospective effect. Let a copy of the said resolution be kept with the record. Learned advocate appearing for the petitioner, however, disputes the legality and validity of the aforesaid resolution on several grounds. In view of the subsequent resolution adopted by the Bar Association, nothing further survives for adjudication in the present writ petition. However, it is made clear that the petitioner shall be at liberty to challenge the said resolution in accordance with law, if so advised. Accordingly, WPO No.29 of 2024, along with the connected application being GA No. 1 of 2024, stands disposed of. Urgent photostat certified copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance of all legal formalities. (KAUSIK CHANDA, J.) nm