Pande Emerges as Top Contender in Bar Council Polls The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa (BCMG) election count has entered its decisive phase, with attention now focused on the critical first-preference “quota” that will determine the initial batch of winning candidates in one of the country’s largest polls for advocates. Preliminary trends indicate that Parijat Pande, a candidate from Nagpur, has maintained an early lead in her district and has emerged as one of the top contenders statewide. Sources suggest Pande is currently ranked second across Maharashtra and Goa in the tally of first-preference votes as district-wise segregation of ballot papers nears completion. In Nagpur district alone, Pande secured 1,185 first-preference votes, surpassing Anil Gowardipe, who received 1,027 votes. Other candidates in the race include Asif Qureshi with 506 votes, Uma Bhattad with 359 votes, Sandeep Nandeshwar with 322 votes, and Kshitija Wadatkar-Wankhede with 131 votes. Election officials confirmed that 4,309 valid ballot papers from Nagpur district were accepted for counting. The BCMG election follows a preferential voting system, where advocates rank candidates in order of preference. The decisive “quota” for direct election through first-preference votes is calculated by adding one to the total number of valid votes and dividing it by 26, representing 25 seats plus an additional count factor under the electoral formula. Experts estimate the winning quota to range between 3,240 and 3,250 votes. Any candidate crossing or reaching this threshold via first-preference votes would secure direct election in the initial round.#nagpur_district #parijat_pande #asif_qureshi #anil_gowardipe #bar_council_of_maharashtra_and_goa
9 City Lawyers Enter Bar Council Poll Fray Nagpur: The election to the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, scheduled for March 24, has seen increased campaigning as nine lawyers from the city entered the contest. The council is responsible for electing 23 members, including 18 men and five women, with two additional women members to be nominated after the election. A total of 160 candidates, including 54 women, have filed nominations for the polls. From Nagpur, the candidates include Parijat Pande, Asif Qureshi, Anil Gowardipe, Sagar Lambat, Sanjay More, Sandeep Nandeshwar, Uma Bhattad, Vaishali Khedikar, and Priyanka Chokhare. These candidates have begun engaging with advocates and visiting bar associations across the state to present their platforms. Among the contenders, Pande, Qureshi, and Gowardipe are current members of the council, bringing experience to their campaigns. Pande is also affiliated with the Advocates' Council, while Qureshi holds a leadership role as general secretary in the Maharashtra unit of the Congress party, providing him political support. With the election nearing, candidates have intensified their outreach efforts, meeting advocates and visiting bar associations in Nagpur and other parts of the state. The contest has also drawn attention due to the participation of younger candidates, including Lambat, Nandeshwar, and More, who are contesting for the first time. Lambat, a native of Nagpur, is the son of Kishor Lambat, a former secretary of the High Court Bar Association and a Supreme Court practitioner. These younger candidates are appealing to voters for fresh leadership in the council. Under the council’s election rules, lawyers with less than 10 years of legal practice are eligible to contest under a separate category.#bar_council_maharashtra_and_goa #parijat_pande #asif_qureshi #anil_gowardipe #sagar_lambat
