The space allotted inside court premises across the State for local bar associations should not be used for gambling or consuming liquor, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTNP) has said.
It has warned lawyers of disciplinary action if they fail to adhere to the dictum.
BCTNP’s Enrolment Committee comprising senior counsel R. Singaravelan and N. Chandrasekaran ordered that all bar associations in the State must submit a list of their members, as on March 31 every year, before April 16 of every year and only those in the list certified by the Council should be allowed to vote in association elections.
It was mandatory for all bar associations to get recognised and registered with the Bar Council as per the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Advocates Welfare Fund Act of 1987 and the Advocates Act of 1961. The committee clarified that the BCTNP had all the powers to issue directions to the associations. In a veiled reference to Madras Bar Association, established in 1862, the panelsaid: “It is surprising for us to note that most associations, including the oldest functioning in our High Court premises, have not realised their duties and responsibilities and the control of the Bar council over them.”
It pointed out that although 32 years had passed since the Advocates Welfare Fund Act came into force, none of the bar associations had submitted their list of members before the Council. The committee clarified that elections for all associations should be held periodically as per byelaws and not deferred for long.
Further, curbs should be imposed on contesting bar association elections so that particular individuals do not get elected repeatedly for continuous terms. Elected office-bearers of such associations should also not misuse the post for their personal or professional gains as had been noticed in many districts, the committee said.
The orders were passed while resolving a dispute over not allowing about 96 lawyers to cast their votes in the elections to a bar association in a metropolitan magistrate court complex at George Town in Chennai. The committee ordered that all those lawyers should be allowed to exercise their franchise.