Plea against bar’s 10-year practice rule

Even as the Supreme court has admitted multiple petitions challenging the bar council elections being held in various states, the Madras High Court has also been moved challenging the rules framed by the special committee of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry including the mandatory 10 years of practice as minimum eligibility to contest in the council elections.

The first bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose while hearing a plea moved by advocates G Murugendran and Selvakumar assailing the rules on Wednesday, observed that the rules framed by the special committee may not be wrong. However, on noting that the issue to be decided is whether the special committee has powers to frame such rules, the bench adjourned the hearing of the Public interest litigation to Thursday.

On January 24, the special committee of the council passed a resolution prescribing certain rules to govern the council election scheduled on March 28. Accordingly, only advocates who have been in practice continuously for 10 years would be entitled to contest the election. This apart, lawyers punished for contempt of court and those holding official position in any political party or founder of a party, and those who are facing disciplinary proceeding before the state bar council are not entitled to contest.