With voting set for February 21–23, the Bar Council of Delhi election has drawn attention to candidates promising institutional reform and improved professional welfare. Advocate Vaibhav Jain, contesting as Ballot No. 136, is campaigning on a platform of digitisation, transparency and enhanced advocate support.
Campaign priorities and proposed reforms
Vaibhav Jain, who has practised in the District Courts, the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India, frames his candidature around administrative modernisation and stronger accountability within the Bar Council. His campaign has attracted notice in legal circles for prioritising a “digitisation-first” approach to Council operations.
On digitisation, Jain proposes a fully online interface for key services such as enrollment, submission and processing of documents, and welfare claim management. The objective is to reduce processing delays, cut paperwork and align the Bar Council’s workflows with broader judicial digital initiatives in India.
Transparency measures on his agenda include regular, structured audits, clearer communication of Council decisions and processes, and mechanisms to increase accountability of office-bearers. Supporters argue these steps are intended to rebuild institutional trust, particularly among younger advocates.
Advocate welfare forms the third pillar of his platform. Proposals include expanded medical support schemes, upgrades to infrastructure in trial court complexes and measures to improve safety and dignity for advocates working in court premises.
Electoral dynamics and significance of first-preference votes
The Bar Council of Delhi uses a preferential voting system in which first-preference votes carry substantial weight. Backers of Ballot No. 136 contend that Jain’s multi-court experience and reform-oriented agenda position him as a competitive candidate in this election cycle.
As polling dates approach, the 2026 BCD election is being viewed by many within Delhi’s legal community as a key opportunity to push for structural and administrative reforms at the Council level.
