Advocates' protest in TN: BCI warns of suspension

Chennai, June 9 ()

Bar Council of India

today warned that Bar leaders in Tamil Nadu would be suspended if they created any disturbance protesting against the amendments to Advocates Act despite the offer by the Madras High Court to keep the changes in abeyance pending a discussion. "Despite the offer from the

Chief Justice of Madras High Court

, if Bar leaders are still adamant to create disturbance they would be suspended from practice,"

BCI

Chairman

Mannan Kumar Mishra

said in a communication to

Bar Council of Tamil Nadu

and Puducherry (BCTP). He referred to the high court’s decision to keep in abeyance the recently-amended rules to Advocates Act providing for disciplinary action against erring lawyers till a discussion on the proposed suggestions from various bar associations. The assurance was given by Chief Justice

Sanjay Kishan Kaul

on June 7 when representatives of BCTP met him and the same was made public through the media. "But BCI had been informed by some members that some of the so-called leaders are not ready to accept the proposal and they are adamant to create disturbance," he said. "The Council, therefore, requests you to earmark and identify such advocates or office-bearers of associations and immediately suspend them from practice. "BCI cannot allow any sort of nuisance in the profession which could downgrade the stature of our legal fraternity," the BCI communication said. The new rules notified late last month have created a furore among the lawyers who submitted a representation to the Chief Justice and took out a rally here on June 6. This is the second communication from BCI on the issue this week. Earlier, taking a serious view of the June 6 rally taken out by

Advocates Associations of the Madras High Court

protesting the amendments, BCI had instructed BCTP to initiate action against those responsible. Blaming the Bar leaders for not putting forth their views at meetings held in connection with the framing of rules, the BCI Chairman said if the advocates had any grievances, they could have written to the Bar Council. In today's communication, BCI said that on the request of the BCI Chairman, the Chief Justice had agreed to ‘restructure’ the rules and invite office-bearers of various associations for talks and to hear them or refer the matter to the rules committee. On June 11, Bar leaders are meeting in

Tiruchirappalli

to prepare their representation to be submitted to the high court in response to the CJ's offer. BCI had also written to all lawyers' associations asking them to submit their views on the rules by June 16, so that they could be submitted to the rules committee. COR VS PAL