2026:JHHC:14898 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI W.P.(C) No.3582 of 2026 ------ Richa Priya, d/o Sri Bhawesh Kumar, resident of Sail City, Masibari, P.O. & P.S. New Pundag, District Ranchi, Jharkhand. … … Petitioner Versus Jharkhand State Bar Council, through its Secretary, officiated at Bunglow no.8, near Kendriya Vidyalay, Jharkhand, P.O. & P.S. Doranda, District Ranchi. … … Respondent ------ CORAM : SRI ANANDA SEN, J. ------ For the Petitioner : Ms. Richa Priya, (Petitioner present in person) For the Respondent : Mr. Manoj Tandon, Advocate Ms. Shivani Bhardwaj, Advocate Mrs. Neha Bhardwaj, Advocate Mr. Karamjit S. Chhabra, Advocate Mr. Shubham Kumar, Advocate Mr. Rajesh Pandey, Secretary, Jharkhand State Bar Council. ------ 03/ 14.05.2026 The defects pointed out by the office stand ignored. 2. By filing this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for the following reliefs:- “a) For issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus, commanding upon the respondent Jharkhand State Bar Council directing them to admit the name of the petitioner in the roll of advocates w.e.f. the date when the other applicants who had preferred applications for enrollment with her were given certificate of enrollment. b) For issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus, commanding upon the respondent to treat the case of the petitioner in light of the judgments delivered in: i) Rejanish K.V. v. k. Deepa and Ors. (By 2026:JHHC:14898 2 Hon’ble Apex Court) ii) John Mohammad Wani v. Bar Council Jammu and Kashmir th. Registrar General and Anr. (By the Division Bench of Hon’ble J & K High Court) iii) All India Judges Association v. Union of India (By the Hon’ble Apex Court) And the Scheme for Engaging Law Clerk-cum- Research Associates on Short-Term Contractual Basis Assignment in the Supreme Court of India (Annexure-5). c) For issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus, commanding upon the respondent to pay a heavy exemplary cost and compensation to the petitioner for the stress, mental agony and denigration caused to the petitioner as she had applied for enrolment to the respondent Jharkhand State Bar Council on 30.08.2024 and several applicants who had applied with her got their enrollment certificate back in 2024 but the petitioner has been deprived of her rightful claim without any rhyme and reason which has caused immense stress, mental agony and denigration to her. Also, due to the withholding of her original educational certificates/ documents by the respondent Jharkhand State Bar Council which became an obstacle in applying her for other competitive exams or avail the other career opportunities for more than one year.” 3. Heard Ms. Richa Priya - the petitioner present in person, Mr. Manoj Tandon, learned counsel representing the respondent – Jharkhand State Bar Council, Jharkhand and Mr. Rajesh Pandey, Secretary - Jharkhand State Bar Council, Jharkhand. 4. The petitioner is a Law Graduate and she has completed 2026:JHHC:14898 3 her B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), from Amity University, Jharkhand, in the year 2024. 4.1. The petitioner applied to be admitted in the rolls of the Jharkhand State Bar Council, Jharkhand, as an Advocate. Her application is dated 30.08.2024. The said application was received in the office of the Jharkhand State Bar Council. 4.2. During pendency of the application and before the Enrolment Certificate could be granted to the petitioner, the High Court of Jharkhand, Ranchi, published an Advertisement bearing Advertisement No.04/Accts./2024, seeking application for engagement of candidates on contract as Law Researchers / Research Associates in the High Court of Jharkhand, Ranchi. 4.3. The petitioner applied for the same and was selected. Vide Letter No.2547/ Accts. (Estab.), dated 27.09.2024 (Annexure-4 to the writ petition). Engagement letter was issued to the petitioner, engaging her as Law Researcher / Research Associate in the High Court of Jharkhand. The petitioner accepted the letter of engagement and joined from 03.10.2024. 4.4. In the meantime, the Jharkhand State Bar Council, processed the application of the petitioner and other applicants and scrutinized the same on 11.09.2024 i.e. prior to the engagement of the petitioner as Law Researcher / Research Associate. The result of the scrutiny was published on 11.09.2024. 4.5. After completion of the mandatory period of fourteen clear days, the Enrolment Committee issued Enrolment Certificates to all the candidates on 15.10.2024, excepting the petitioner. 2026:JHHC:14898 4 5. The grounds for leaving out the petitioner were though not communicated to the petitioner in writing but, she was verbally informed that since the petitioner has already been engaged in the High Court of Jharkhand, the license cannot be issued to her. Another ground taken is that she took her certificates back for the aforesaid purpose. 6. At this point of time, the petitioner submits that after two days, she returned the testimonials to the Bar Council. 7. It is admitted that the date when the petitioner applied i.e. on 30.08.2024, she was not engaged in the High Court of Jharkhand. The date when the Scrutiny Committee cleared the application of the petitioner, on that date also, the petitioner was not under any engagement of the High Court of Jharkhand. The fourteen clear days from the date of scrutiny stood lapsed on 26.09.2024. On that date also, the petitioner was not engaged by the High Court of Jharkhand, rather her engagement letter was issued on 27.09.2024 and her date of joining is 03.10.2024. 8. Thus, in my opinion, the petitioner should have been granted the Enrolment Certificate immediately, on completion of fourteen days i.e. on 26.09.2024. 9. Since the petitioner joined in the High Court of Jharkhand on 03.10.2024, she was duty bound to inform about the said engagement to the Bar Council and should have taken steps to keep her license under suspension till the period she is engaged by the High Court. 10. Considering the aforesaid fact and the timeline, I direct 2026:JHHC:14898 5 the Jharkhand State Bar Council, Jharkhand, to immediately issue Enrolment Certificate to the petitioner, which should be given effect from 15.10.2024, but will be kept under suspension from 03.10.2024 till the period she is under engagement with the High Court of Jharkhand. 10.1. The information to that effect should be communicated to the petitioner immediately, informing the Enrolment number to the petitioner and the effective date of enrolment, which should be from 15.10.2024. 10.2. It is henceforth made clear that all steps should be taken by the Jharkhand State Bar Council, Jharkhand, to conduct the meeting of the Enrolment Committee and the Scrutiny Committee, twice a month. 11. With the aforesaid observation and direction, this writ petition stands allowed. (ANANDA SEN, J.) 14th May, 2026 Prashant. Cp-2 Uploaded on 16.05.2026