RICHA PRIYA vs JHARKHAND STATE BAR COUNCIL THRO ITS SECRETARY
- Court
- Jharkhand High Court
2026:JHHC:14898
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI
W.P.(C) No.3582 of 2026
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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
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CORAM : SRI ANANDA SEN, J.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.)
th
14 May, 2026
Prashant. Cp-2
Uploaded on 16.05.2026
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