Major Victory for Ajit Mishra’s Team in Bilaspur Press Club Election Dispute; Government Dismisses Dilip Yadav’s Appeal
Bilaspur: The long-standing dispute regarding the Bilaspur Press Club elections has finally concluded with a significant victory for Ajit Mishra’s team. The state government has dismissed the appeal filed by Dilip Yadav, upholding the new executive body and delivering a major setback to the opposition.
In an order passed by the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Industry, it was clarified that the appellant, Dilip Yadav, had raised no objections before the election process began and had participated in the elections himself. Therefore, challenging the process after the fact is not legally sustainable.
Background of the Dispute
According to the case details:
Initial Move: On September 7, 2025, the then-Secretary Dilip Yadav appointed his close associate, Mahesh Tiwari, as the Election Officer and hurriedly announced the election schedule on September 9.
Regulatory Notice: During this time, the Assistant Registrar of Firms and Societies, Bilaspur, issued a notice to the office bearers regarding violations of Sections 27 and 28 of the Act.
The Invalid Election: Elections were held on September 19, 2025, based on a list of 563 members. However, because the voter list was not certified by the Registrar’s office, the results were disputed. Consequently, the Registrar of Firms and Societies, Chhattisgarh, declared the September 19 election invalid and ordered fresh elections for November 18, 2025.
The Re-election Process
Following the Registrar's order, the District Collector nominated the Assistant Registrar of Bilaspur as the Election Officer.
New Polls: Fresh elections were conducted on December 28, 2025, based on the 2023 voter list featuring 447 valid members.
Participation: Dilip Yadav and other candidates actively participated in this re-election.
Legal Intervention and Final Ruling
Dilip Yadav had approached the Chhattisgarh High Court seeking to quash the Registrar's order. Per the High Court’s direction, the matter was presented as an appeal before the state government. During the hearing on December 29, 2025, Yadav failed to appear, while other parties informed the authorities that the election had already concluded the previous day.
Key Legal Principle: The government order highlighted that if the appellant had issues with the process, he should have appealed before the elections began. Citing Supreme Court precedents, the order stated that a person cannot voluntarily participate in a process and then challenge its validity only after the results are unfavorable.
Conclusion
Taking these facts into account, the government rejected the appeal and directed the Assistant Registrar of Bilaspur to proceed with necessary actions under Sections 27 and 28 of the Act.
Ajit Mishra’s side was effectively represented by Advocate Harshvardhan Agrawal and Tax Consultant Sachin Kumar Singhal. With this government decision, the new executive committee has gained official legitimacy, confirming the victory of Ajit Mishra's team