'Lawyers to wear white band, interns to wear black tie, coat & pant'

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday said that a lawyer while representing cases in Supreme Court, High Court or district courts must wear a white band and the law interns must adhere to a dress code of black tie, coat, pant and white shirt.

A single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba. M. Singh said that Shahdara Bar Association (SBA)'s circular asking interns to wear blue coat would not survive as the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD)'s resolution passed mandates black tie, coat, pant and a white shirt for interns.

The court was hearing a plea by a second-year law student named Hardik Kapoor challenging SBS's circular.

In view of prescribing a consistent uniform to all interns of different associations, the Delhi High Court on December 1 had put a hold on the SBA's resolution and had asked the BCD to hold a meeting of all bar associations in the national capital and other stakeholders to reach a consensus on what uniform law interns should wear.

"Considering a large number of interns, a uniform policy ought to be arrived at with the consent of all stakeholders.

A consistent uniform should be prescribed because if different associations prescribe different uniforms then the interns will be inconvenienced," she had said.

During the hearing on Thursday, the court was informed that the BCD has passed a resolution on December 16 wherein it has sad that for interns, the distinguishing feature would be a black tie.

Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Ujwal Ghai said that the SBA circular is without authority of law as the formulation of rules regarding the uniform of lawyers and interns is the prerogative of the BCD, who has already made the Rule 27 of Bar Council of India Rules of Education, 2008 which is currently in force.

Post hearing, Judge Singh said that SBA circular would not survive in this case and disposed of the plea. In order to distinguish interns from lawyers, the SBA had passed a decision on November 24 restricting interns from wearing black coats in Delhi's Karkardooma court.

They were told to wear a white shirt, blue coat, and trousers from December 1 onwards. The SBA in its resolution had said that the interns would not be allowed to attend courts if they fail to adhere to the prescribed dress code.