Bar president Christopher Leong has denied allegations of lack of transparency in the Bar Council elections on Tuesday by a disgruntled candidate.

Answering to criticisms yesterday, Leong told Malaysiakini it was the Bar Council's own initiative to provide the opportunity for candidates and their representatives to view the ballot counting process although it is not required under the Legal Profession Act 1976 (LPA).

"It is something that we have provided for, on our own initiative and within the constraints that we face, in order to promote transparency," he said when contacted.

It was reported that lawyer M Reza Hassan, one of the candidates in the Bar Council election, had claimed that the Bar Council was not transparent in the election process as he had been prevented from entering the hall to observe the counting process.

Reza had refused to sign a letter of undertaking, and said he was as a result asked to leave the observation room where the live telecast of the ballot counting process was being observed.

Leong stressed that candidates and representatives were not allowed to be physically present in the ballot-counting room to preserve the security of the ballots.

"This is also to ensure there is no untoward incident in the ballot counting room or any allegation of interference or tampering with the ballot paper.

The Bar president explained the written undertaking was to ensure observers will not photograph, record or transmit by electronic means the footage they view via the live streaming.

He pointed out that various candidates had observed the ballot-counting process from the observation room.  

"No complaint was received from them in respect of the requirement to provide a written undertaking," he said, explaining that the written undertaking was required as the Bar Council had experienced some members of the Bar releasing recordings of closed-door Bar events previously.

Explaining further, Leong said there were four cameras in the ballot counting room, where 10 teams of Bar Council secretariat staff carried out the counting.

"The cameras provide coverage of the entire room and the ballot counting process.  One camera is focussed on one of the counting teams, to provide a close-up look of an example of the counting process," he said.

In the Bar Council election, lawyer Hendon Mohamed won the top spot for the 2015/2016 term. Twenty-three candidates contested 12 posts in the Bar Council.