Two advocates barred for disrupting Madras High Court

Chennai: Sending a strong message to erring advocates, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry initiated stringent action against two of them.

Coming down heavily on V. Manikandan and R. Madan Kumar for causing disturbance to judicial officials and preventing them from performing their duty, the council has barred them from pursuing the profession.

The chairman of the council, D. Selvam, said the order comes in the wake of Madras High court order to initiate disciplinary action against them. The council has prevented them from wearing the lawyer’s gown till the disposal of the suo moto proceeding initiated by the court.

Selvam also noted that on March 20, 2015, a few advocates caused a shindig in the bar council when they were protesting the recognition granted to an advocates' association. The advocates had ransacked the council office then and the council sent a show cause notice to them under Section 35 of the Advocates Act. Since 2010, candidates who have completed their law degree and registered with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pudhucherry are required to appear within two years for the test conducted by the BCI and only if they pass the examination are they eligible to practice. Since 2010, the BCI conducted eight such examinations.

Based on the recommendation of the first bench of the Madras High court, the council has barred 2,495 advocates who have failed to pass the examination. The council has sent separate communications to such advocates, Selvam added.