Bar Council of India constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Justice Shivraj V. Patil in the light of the directions of the Supreme Court in the case of Mahipal Singh Rana. It included three Chief Justice, representatives of various High Court judges, retired judges, 11 senior advocates and state bar council representatives. This committee gave several important suggestions for the improvement of lawyers and bar council. Lawyers say that the Law Commission, ignoring these suggestions, is trying to completely eliminate the independence of state bar councils elected by democratically. Advocates are all angry with them.

The lawyers cited the Commission’s proposals and said that now the disciplinary action against the lawyers will be done by a five-member committee, which will not be a single attorney member. Similarly, the lawyer who will take a finger on the judicial officer will oppose him, then the license of that lawyer will be canceled. Any judge or judicial officer can order the cancellation of license of any lawyer by alleging indecision, contempt and separation from court work. Bar Council’s autonomy has been abated through proposed amendment. The majority of councils will be of those people, who will be brought through nomination. The number of elected members has been reduced. Nominated members will be kept in the way people who will not be advocates. If the lawyer goes on strike, the client can recover damages from them.

Lawyers