Singh moved another application before HC on November 2, 2021, seeking PU to be impleaded. (File) The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered impleading of Panjab University in a case filed by a LLB evening course alumnus, who has claimed that the Bar Council of India (BCI) has rejected his enrolment as an advocate on the grounds that his law degree obtained from PU evening batch is invalid because it violates Legal Education Rules.
The petitioner, Tejinder Singh, who did his LLB from PU evening batch in 2018, had moved an application before the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) in September 2018, for getting enrolled as an advocate. However, his application was postponed for two years due to a case of contempt of court against him. Singh then filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2019, seeking directions to the BCPH to grant him enrolment, but the petition remained pending due to the lockdown.
Two years later, Tejinder moved an application saying that the disqualification under Section 24A, if any, due to the court case had already ceased to exist. The BCPH informed the court that his case was sent to BCI for reference under Section 26 of the Advocates Act and the BCI has rejected his enrolment as his degree was found to be ‘invalid’ because it violates Legal Education Rules 2000, mentions Singh’s application.
Singh has submitted before the BCPH that he passed LLB three-year course during the academic year 2015-18. His classes for LLB (evening) were from 5:30 pm to 9:15 pm at Department of Law, Panjab University.
Singh has attached an order, dated February 24, 2021 of BCI, with his application before HC. The order of BCI mentions, “…it is admitted fact that the candidate Tejinder Singh passed out his law course by attending evening classes which are not permitted by the Legal Education Rules of Bar Council of India. In these circumstances, the claim of the applicant of having completed his law course is not a valid and legitimate claim…We cannot recognize the law course and degree of this candidate to be acceptable for the purpose of permitting his enrolment as an advocate on the roll of State Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana or for that matter on the roll of any other State Bar Council in India…We also find it quite curious that, as per this candidate, the Law Faculty of Panjab University had been holding evening classes beyond 7 PM even after amendment of rules by BCI on the recommendation of Legal Education Committee. Hence, we simultaneously refer the facet of this flagrant violation of L.E.C. Rules by the concerned Center of Legal Education to the Standing Committee of Bar Council of India and if found correct, take a call about the course of action to be taken against the University…”
Singh moved another application before HC on November 2, 2021, seeking PU to be impleaded, mentioning that “if the degree is considered invalid, then the University should refund the entire expenses of the petitioner spent on the course plus compensation for the wastage of time, career and huge financial loses”.
Singh had also sent a legal notice to PU. However, he received no response. Singh has mentioned in the application that “it becomes necessary to seek clarification from the University regarding validity of their course. It is basically a dispute between the University and the Bar Council of India. The petitioner is paying the price for no fault”.
The case is filed by Singh against BCPH and BCI is already a party (respondent) in the case.
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
