New Delhi: In a drastic move, the Bar Council of India on Wednesday declared as illegal the strike and abstentions from court of lawyers in Tamil Nadu and warned the leaders of suspension and disqualification from contesting any election to the Bar association or Bar council.
In an order passed Wednesday, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Misra said the BCI has been informed that even after several requests and appeals, some of the bar associations in the state have still not called off/withdrawn their strikes, boycotts or abstentions. The situation is alarming, the image of the bar is being tarnished to a great extent because of such unruly handful of advocates.
The Chairman said the Bar Councils and bar associations are being criticised not only by the judiciary and the government but also by majority of members of the legal fraternity and public at large.
The common peace-loving and sincere advocates are also suffering besides the helpless litigants and therefore the BCI is declaring the strike as illegal. The chairman asked the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to convey this order to all the bar associations in the State and inform them that if the strike, boycott or abstentions are not called off by July 22 the leaders/office-bearers of all the striking bar associations shall be put under suspension and will be disqualified from contesting any bar association or bar council election of any in future.
The BCI asked State bar council to communicate names of leaders/ office-bearers latest by July 22 so that necessary suspension and disqualification orders can be passed.
