BENCH BAR RELATION

Bench Bar Relation:

Bar-Bench Relation in law refers to the cordial relationship between the

Advocates and the Judges. The Bar (Advocates) and Bench (Judges) play
an important role in the administration of justice. The judges administer
the law with the assistance of the lawyers. The lawyers are the officers of
the court. They are expected to assist the court in the administration of
justice. As the officers of the court the lawyers are required to maintain
respectful attitude toward the court bearing in mind that the dignity of the
judicial office is essential for the survival of the society. Mutual respect is
necessary for the maintenance of the cordial relations between the Bench
and Bar.
The opinion of our Supreme Court in the context of Bench- Bar Relation
has been clearly laid down in P.D. Gupta v. Ram Murti and Others1 as
follows: "A lawyer owes a duty to be fair not only to his client but also to
the court as well as to the opposite party in the conduct of the case.
Administration of justice is a stream which has to be kept pure and clean.
It has to be kept unpolluted. Administration of justice is not something
which concerns the Bench only. It concerns the Bar as well. The Bar is the
principal ground for recruiting judges. Nobody should be able to raise a
finger about the conduct of a lawyer. Actually judges and lawyers are
complementary to each other. The primary duty of the lawyer is to inform
the court as to the law and facts of the case and to aid the court to do
justice by arriving at the correct conclusions. Good and strong advocacy
by the counsel is necessary for the good administration of justice.
Consequently, the counsel must have freedom to present his case fully

1
AIR 1998 SC 283.
and properly and should not be interrupted by the judges unless the
interruption is necessary."
In Mahant Hakumat Rai v. Emperor2 the Lahore High Court had held
that "Without failing in respect to Bench, it is the duty of the members of
the Bar to assert their just rights to be heard by the tribunal before which
they are practising. They should be fearless and independent in the
discharge of their duties, and would be perfectly right in protesting
against irregular procedure on the part of any judge; and if the advocate
is improperly checked or found fault with, he should vindicate the
independence of the Bar. He would be perfectly justified in insisting on
getting a proper hearing and he would be perfectly right to object to any
interruption with the course of his argument such as to disturb him in
doing his duty to his client. Plenary powers vested in the Presiding Officer
of the Court, apart from the fact that they have rarely been used against
members of the legal profession so far, should only be used to vindicate
the honour of the court or to satisfy the necessities of public justice and
not as a matter of course." It may, however, be noted that the presence of
professional etiquette coupled with recognition by judiciary of the
importance of an independent Bar, will work together to minimise the
possibility of confrontation between the Bench and the Bar.
To conclude this part we can say that, a free and fearless Bar is not to be
preferred to an independent judiciary, nor an independent judiciary to a
free bar. Neither has a primacy over the other. Both are indispensable to
a free society. The freedom of the Bar presupposes an independent
judiciary through which that freedom may, if necessary, be vindicated.
One of the potent means for assuring judges of their independence is
responsible, well- behaved, cultured and, learned Bar. Finally, reciprocal
adjustment of conduct by the Bench and the Bar is the keystone to the
smooth functioning of courts in general interest of the society.

2
AIR 1943 Lahore 14.
Bar Council of India

Introduction

The Bar Council of India is a statutory body established under Section 4 of

Advocates Act 1961 that regulates the legal practice and legal education
in India. Its members are elected from amongst the lawyers in India and
as such represents the Indian bar. It was created by Parliament under the
Advocates Act, 1961. In March 1953, the 'All India Bar Committee', headed
by S. R. Das, submitted a report which proposed the creation of a bar
council for each state and an all-India bar council as an apex body. It was
suggested that the all India bar council should regulate the legal
profession and set the standard of legal education. The Law Commission
of India was assigned the job of assembling a report on judicial
administration reforms. In 1961, the Advocates Act was introduced to
implement the recommendations made by the 'All India Bar Committee'
and 'Law Commission'. In 1963, C. K. Daphtary became the Chairman and
S. K. Ghose became the Vice Chairman. It prescribes standards of
professional conduct, etiquettes and exercises disciplinary jurisdiction
over the bar. It also sets standards for legal education and grants
recognition to Universities whose degree in law will serve as a
qualification for students to enroll themselves as advocates upon
graduation.
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA:

Section 7 of the Advocates Act provides for the following statutory

functions of the Bar Council of India:
1. To lay down standards of professional conduct and etiquette for
advocates;
2. To lay down the procedure to be followed by its disciplinary
committee and the disciplinary committees of each State Bar
Council;
3. To safeguard the rights, privileges and interests of advocates;

4. To promote and support law reform;

5. To deal with and dispose of any matter which may be referred to it

by a State Bar Council;
6. To exercise general supervision and control over the state bar
council;
7. To promote legal education and to lay down standards of legal
education in consultation with the Universities in India imparting
legal education and the State Bar Councils, With respect to this
point, the Supreme Court has made it clear that the question of
importing legal education is entrusted to the Universities in India
and not to the Bar Council of India. All that the Bar Council can do is
to suggest ways and means to promote suck legal education to be
imparted by the Universities and for that purpose it may lay down
the standards of education. Sections 7 do not entitle the Bar Council
itself to frame rules laying down pre-enrolment as Advocate;
8. To recognize Universities whose degree in law shall be a
qualification for enrolment for an advocate for that purpose to visit
and inspects Universities, or direct the State Bar Councils to visit
and inspect Universities for this purpose;
9. To conduct seminars and organise talks on legal topics by eminent
jurists and publish journals and papers of legal interest;
10. To organize legal aid to the poor;

11. To recognize on a reciprocal basis foreign qualifications in law

obtained outside India for the purpose of admission as an advocate
in India;
12. To manage and invest the funds of the Bar Council;
 13. To provide for the election of its members who shall run the Bar
Councils.
14. To perform all other functions conferred on it or under this Act;

15. To do all other things necessary for discharging the aforesaid

functions;
16. The Bar Council of India may constitute one or more funds in the
prescribed manner –
(a) giving financial assistance to organise welfare schemes for
indigents, disabled or other advocates;
(b) giving legal aid or advise in accordance with the rule made in
this behalf;
(c) establishing law libraries.

17. The Bar Council of India can also receive grants, donations, and
gifts for any of these purposes mentioned under point no 16.
In Ex-Captain Harish Uppal v. Union of India, the court held that
section 7 provides in respect of the functions of the Bar Council of India,
but none of its functions mentioned in section 7 authorizes it to paralyze
the working of the Courts. On the contrary it is enjoined with a duty to lay
down standards of professional conduct and etiquette for advocates. No
Bar Council can ever consider giving a call of strike or a call of boycott. In
case any association calls for a strike or boycott the concerned State Bar
Council of India must immediately take disciplinary action against the
advocates who gives a call for a strike. It is the duty of every advocate to
ignore a call of strike or boycott.
In Raveendranath Naik v. Bar Council of India, AIR 2007 Kar. 75
the court held that the resolution passed by the Bar Council India
directing advocates not to participate in any programme organised by the
Legal Services Authorities in any Lok Adalat or any legal aid programme
has been held illegal and void.
Section 7-A of the Advocates Act makes it clear that the Bar Council of
India may become a member of international legal bodies, such as, the
International Bar Association or the International Legal Aid Association,
contribute such sums as it thinks fit to such bodies by way of subscription
or otherwise and authorise expenditure on the participation of its
representatives in any international legal conference or seminar.
Section 7(2) of the Advocates Act provides that the Bar Council of India
may constitute one or more funds in the prescribed manner for the
purpose of:
(a) giving financial assistance to organise welfare schemes for indigent,
disabled or other advocates;
(b) giving legal aid or advice in accordance with the rules made in this
behalf;
(c) establishing law libraries.
It may receive any grants, donations, gifts or benefactions for all or any of
the purposes specified above such grants, donations, etc., shall be
credited to the appropriate fund or funds constituted under this sub-
section.
Powers of Bar Council of India:

1. Admission as advocates:

Section 20 of the Advocates Act provides that every advocate who was
entitled as of right to practise in the Supreme Court immediately before
the appointed day and whose name is not entered in any State roll may,
within the prescribed time, express his intention in the prescribed form to
the Bar Council of India for the entry of his name in the roll of a State Bar
Council and on receipt thereof the Bar Council of India shall direct that the
name of such advocate shall, without payment of any fee, be entered in
the role of that State Bar Council and the State Bar Council concerned
shall comply with such direction. The entry in the State Roll made in the
compliance with such direction shall be made in the order of seniority
determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 17(3).Where an
advocate omits or fails to express his intention within the prescribed time,
his name shall be entered in the roll of the State Bar Council of Delhi.
Section 19 of the Advocates Act makes it clear that every State Bar
Council shall send to the Bar Council of India an authenticated copy of the
roll of advocates prepared by it for the first time under this Act and shall,
thereafter, communicate to the Bar Council of India all alternations in and
addition to, any such roll, as soon as the same have been made.
Section 18 of the Advocates Act makes provision in respect of the transfer
of name from one State roll to another. It provides that any person whose
name is entered as an advocate· on the roll of any State Bar Council may
make an application in the prescribed form to the Bar Council of India for
the transfer of his name from the roll of that State Bar Council to the roll
of any other State Bar Council and on receipt of any such application, the
Bar Council of India shall direct that the name such person shall, without
the payment of any fee, be removed from the roll of the first-mentioned
State Bar Council and entered in the roll of the other State Bar Council
and the State Bar Councils concerned shall comply with such direction:
Provided that where any such application for transfer is made by a person
against whom any disciplinary proceeding is pending or where for any
other reason it appears to the Bar Council of India that the application for
transfer has not been made bona fide and that the transfer should not be
made, the Bar Council of India may, after giving the person making the
application an opportunity of making a representation in this behalf, reject
the application. It has been made clear that where on an application
made by an advocate under this section, his name is transferred from the
roll of one State Bar Council to that of another, he shall retain the same
seniority in the latter roll to which he was entitled in the former roll.

2. Appointment of Committee and Staff-members:

Section 9 of the Advocates Act empowers a Bar Council to appoint
disciplinary committees, It shall constitute one or more disciplinary
committees each which shall consist of three persons of whom two shall
be persons elected by the Council from amongst its member and the
other shall be person co-opted by the Council from amongst advocates
who possess the qualifications specified in the proviso to sub-section (2)
of Section 3 of the and who are not members of the Council and the
senior most advocates amongst the members of a disciplinary committee
shall be the Chairman thereof.
Section 9-A of the Advocates Act empowers a Bar Council to appoint or
more legal aid committees. Each committee shall convert of such number
of members not exceeding nine but not less than five as may be
prescribed. The qualifications, the method of selection and the term of
office the members of such committee shall be such as may be
prescribed.
Section 10(1) makes provisions in respect of constitution of Standing
Committees by a State Bar Council. Besides, Section 10(2) of the
Advocates Act requires the Bar Council of India to constitute the following
committees:-
(1) an executive committee consisting of nine members elected by the
Council from amongst its members;
(2) a legal education committee consisting of ten members, of whom five
shall be persons elected by the Council from amongst its members and
five shall be persons co-opted by the Council who are not members
thereof.
Section 11 of the Advocates Act, requires every Bar Council to appoint a
secretary. It also empowers the Bar Council to appoint an accountant and
such member of other persons on its staff as it may deem necessary. The
secretary and the accountant shall possess such qualifications as may be
prescribed.
3. Maintenance of account, etc:
According to Section 12 of the Advocates Act every Bar Council shall
cause to be maintained such books of account and other books in such
form and in such manner as may be prescribed. The account shall be
audited by auditors duly qualified to act as auditors of companies under
the Companies Act, 1956 at such times and in such manner as may be
prescribed. Sub-section (3) of Section 12 makes it clear that as soon as
may be practicable at the end of each financial year but not later than the
31st day of December of the year next following, a State Bar Council shall
send a copy of its account together with a copy of the report of the
auditors there on to the Bar Council of India and shall cause the same to
be published in the official Gazette. Sub-section (4) of Section 12 provides,
as soon as may be practicable at the end of each financial year but not
later than the 31st day of December of the year next following, the Bar
Council of India shall send a copy of its accounts together with a copy of
the report of the auditors thereon to the Central Government and shall
cause the same to be published in the Gazette of India.
4. Rule-making power:
A Bar Council may make rules under the provisions of Section 15 of the
Advocates Act. Sub-section (2) of Section 15 of the Act provides that in
particular land without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power,
such rules may provide for:
(a) the election of members of the Bar Council by secret ballot including
the conditions subject to which persons can exercise the right to vote by
postal ballot, the preparation and revision of electoral rolls and the
manner in which the results of election shall he published;
(b) the manner of election of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the
Bar Council;
(c) the manner in which and the authority by which, doubts and disputes
as to the validity of an election to the Bar Council or to the office of the
Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall be finally decided;
(d) the filling of casual vacancies in the Bar Council;
(e) the powers and duties of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the
Bar Council;
(f) the constitution of 'one or more funds by a Bar Council for the purpose
of giving financial assistance or giving legal aid or advice referred to in
Section 6(2) and Section 7(1) of the Advocates Act;
(g) organisation of legal aid and advice to the poor, constitution and
function of committees and sub-committees for that purpose and
description of proceedings in connection with which legal aid or advice
may be given;
(h) the summoning and holding of meetings of the Bar Council, the
conduct of business there at and the number of members necessary to
constitute a quorum;
(i) the constitution and functions of any committee of the Bar Council and
the terms of office of members of any such Committees;
(j) the summoning and holding of meetings, the conduct of business of
any such committee and the number of members necessary
to constitute a quorum;
(k) the qualifications and the conditions, of service of the secretary, the
accountant and other employees of the Bar Council;
(l) the maintenance of books of accounts and other books by the Bar
Council;
(m) the appointment of auditors and the audit of the accounts of the Bar
Council;
(n) the management and investment of the funds of the Bar Council.

Sub-section (3) of Section 15 makes it clear that no rules made under this
section by a State Bar Council shall have effect, unless they have
approved by the Bar Council of India.
Section 49 of the Advocates Act confers on the Bar Council of India
general power to make rules. It provides that the Bar Council of India
make rules for discharging its functions under this Act and in particular,
such rules may prescribe:
(a) the conditions subject to which an advocate may be entitled to vote
at an election to the State Bar Council including the qualifications or
disqualifications of voters and the manner in which an electoral roll of
voters may be prepared and revised by a State Bar Council;
(b) qualifications for membership of a Bar Council and the disqualification
for such membership;
(c) the time within which and the manner in which effect may be given to
the proviso to section 3(2).
(d) the manner in which the name of any advocate may be prevented
from being entered in more than one State roll;
(e) the manner in which the seniority among advocates may be
determined;
(f) the minimum qualifications required for admission to a course of
degree in law in any recognised University;
(g) the class or category of persons entitled to be enrolled as advocates;
(h) the conditions subject to which an advocate shall have the right to
practise and the circumstances under which a person shall be deemed to
practise as an advocate in a Court;
(i) the form in which an application shall be made for the transfer of the
name of an advocate from one State roll to another;
(j) the standard of professional conduct and etiquette to be observed by
advocates;
(k) the standards of legal education to be observed by Universities in
India and the inspection of Universities for the purpose;
(l) the foreign qualifications in law obtained by persons other than
citizens of India which shall be recognised for the purpose of admission as
an advocate under this Act;
(m) the procedure to be followed by the disciplinary committee of a State
Bar Council and by its own disciplinary committee;
(n) the restrictions in the matter of practice to which senior advocates
shall be subject;
(0) the form of dresses or robes to be worn by advocates having regard to
the climatic conditions appearing before any Court or tribunal;
(p) the fees which may be levied in respect of any matter under this Act;
(q) general principles for guidance of State Bar Councils and the manner
in which directions issued or orders made by the Bar Council of India may
be enforced;
(r) any other matter which may be prescribed.

In the case of Indian Council of Legal Aid and Advice v. Bar Council
of India, AIR 1995 SC 691, the Supreme Court has held that the rule
debarring a person who has completed the age of forty-five to be enrolled
as an advocate is arbitrary, unreasonable and beyond the power of the
Bar Council of India and consequently, void.
The Supreme Court in V. Sudeer v. Bar Council of India, AIR 1999 SC
1167, has held that the Bar Council can exercise power and frame rules
for effectively discharging its statutory functions as laid down by the Act.
Neither of statutory functions entitled Bar Council to provide for
disqualification, disability or an additional condition for enrolment. The
rule made by Bar Council of India which lays down pre-enrolment training
as pre-condition is ultra vires.
Section 49-A empowers the Central Government to make rules. It provides
that the Central Government may, by notification in the official Gazette
make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act including rules with
respect to any matter for which the Bar Council of India or a State Bar
Council has power to make rules. It has been made clear that if any
provision of a rule made by a Bar Council is repugnant to any provision of
a rule made by the Central .Government under this section, then, the rule
under this section shall prevail and the rule made by the Bar Council shall,
to the extent of the repugnancy, be void. Every rule made under this
section shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made, before each
House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of
30 days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more
successive sessions and if, before the expiry of the session immediately
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses
agree in making any modification in the rule or both Houses agree that
the rule should not be made, the rule shall, thereafter, have effect only in
such modified form or be of no effect, as the case· may be, so however
that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the
validity of anything previously done under that rule.
5. Power to punish for professional or other misconduct:
Section 36 of the Advocates Act empowers the Bar Council of India to
punish an advocate for professional or other misconduct. It provides that
where on receipt of a complaint or otherwise the Bar Council of India has
reason to believe that any advocate whose name is entered on any State
roll has been guilty of professional or other misconduct, it shall refer the
case for disposal to its disciplinary committee. The disciplinary committee
of the Bar Council of India may, either on its own motion or on a report by
any State Bar Council or an application made to it by any person
interested, withdraw for inquiry before itself any proceedings for
disciplinary action against any advocate pending before the disciplinary
committee of any State Bar Council and dispose of the same.
The disciplinary committee of the Bar Council of India, in disposing of any
case of professional or other misconduct of advocate shall observe, so far
as may be, the procedure laid down in Section 35 of the Act. In other
words in disposing of such case, it shall fix a date for its hearing, cause a
notice thereof to be given to the advocate concerned and Attorney-
General of India, Thus after giving the advocate concerned and the
Attorney General of India an opportunity of being heard, it will dispose of
the case and may make any order which the disciplinary committee of a
State Bar Council can make under Section 35(3) of the Advocates Act.
Thus, in disposing of such case it may dismiss the plaint, reprimand the
advocate, suspend the advocate from practice for such period as it may
deem fit and remove the name of the advocate the State roll of
advocates. Sub-section (4) of Section 36 makes it that if any proceedings
are withdrawn for inquiry before the disciplinary committee of the Bar
Council of India, the State Bar Council concerned shall give effect to any
such order.
6. Appellate power:
Section 37 of the Advocates Act empowers the Bar Council of India to
hear appeal against the order of the disciplinary committee of a State Bar
Council made under Section 35 of the Act. It provides that any person
aggrieved by an order of the disciplinary committee of a State Bar Council
under Section 35 for punishing an advocate for professional or other
misconduct or the Advocate-General of the State may, within 60 days of
the date of the communication of the order to him, prefer an appeal to
the Bar Council of India. Every such appeal shall be heard by the
disciplinary committee of the Bar Council of India which may pass such
order including an order varying the punishment awarded by the
disciplinary committee of the State Bar Council thereon as it deems fit.
However, no order of the disciplinary committee of the State Bar Council
shall be varied by the disciplinary committee of the Bar Council of India so
as to prejudicially affect the person aggrieved without giving' him
reasonable opportunity of being heard.
Section 38 provides remedy to the person aggrieved by the order passed
by the disciplinary committee of the Bar Council of India. It provides that
any person aggrieved by an order made by the disciplinary committee of
the Bar Council of India under Section 36 or Section 37 of the Advocates
Act or the Attorney-General of India or Advocate-General of the State
concerned, as the case may be, may within 60 days of the date on which
the order is communicated to him, prefer an appeal to the Supreme Court
and the Supreme Court may pass such order including an order varying
the punishment awarded by the disciplinary committee of the Bar Council
of India thereon as it deems fit. However, no order of the disciplinary
committee of the Bar Council of India shall be varied by the Supreme
Court as so as to prejudicially affect the person aggrieved without giving
him a reasonable opportunity of being heard. Disciplinary jurisdiction over
advocates though rests in Bar Councils, yet by virtue of section 38, final
authority is with the Supreme Court – Harish Uppal v. Union of India,
2003 AIR, SCW 43.
Section 39 makes it clear that Sections 5 and 12 of the Limitation Act
shall, so far as may be, apply to the appeal to the Bar Council of India
under Section 37 or to the Supreme Court under Section 38.
7. Other powers und functions:
(i) The Bar Council of India may if it is satisfied that any State Bar Council
is in need of funds for the purpose of performing its functions under the
Advocates Act, give such financial assistance as it deems fit to that Bar
Council by way of grant or otherwise;
(ii) Where any country specified by the Central Government in this behalf
by notification in the official Gazette, prevents citizens of India from
practising the profession of law or subjects them to unfair discrimination
in that country no subject of any such country shall be entitled to practise
the profession of law in India. Subject to these provisions, the Bar Council
of India may prescribe the conditions, if any, subject to which foreign
qualifications in law obtained by persons other than citizens of India shall
be recognised for the purpose of admission as an advocate under this Act
(i.e. the Advocates Act, 1961).
(iii) The Bar Council of India may, at any time, call for the record of any
proceeding under this Act which has been disposed of by a State Bar
Council or a committee thereof and from which no appeal lies for
purposes of satisfying itself as to the legality or propriety of such disposal
and may pass such orders in relation thereto as it may think fit. It has
been made clear that no order which prejudicially affects any person shall
be passed under this section without giving him a reasonable opportunity
of being heard;
(iv) The Bar Council of India or any of its committees other than
disciplinary committee, may of its own motion or otherwise review any
order within 60 days of the date of that order was passed by it under the
Advocates Act.
In D. Saibaba v. Bar Council of India, AIR 2003 SC 2502, the
Supreme Court has held that so far as the commencement of period of
limitation for filing the review petition is concerned the expression "the
date of that order" as occurring in section 48AA has to be construed as
meaning the date of communication or knowledge (actual or constructive)
of the order to the petitioner.
(v) Section 48-B of the Advocates Act empowers the Bar Council of India
to give direction to a State Bar Council or any Committee thereof the
proper and efficient discharge of the functions assigned to it. It provides
that for the proper and efficient discharge of the functions of a State Bar
Council or any committee thereof, the Bar Council of India may, in the
exercise of its powers of general supervision and control, give such
directions to the States Bar Council or any committee thereof as may
appear to it to be necessary and the State Bar Council or the committee
shall comply with such directions. Where a State Bar Council is unable to
perform its functions for any reason whatsoever, the Bar council of India
may, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, give such
directions to the ex officio member thereof as it may appear to it to be
necessary and such directions shall have effect notwithstanding anything
contained in the rules made by the State Bar council.
(vi) Section 48 makes provision in respect of indemnity against the legal
proceedings. It provides that, no suit or other legal proceeding shall
against any Bar Council or any committee thereof or a member of a
Council or any committee thereof for any act done in good faith done or
intended to be done in pursuance of the provisions of the Advocates any
rules made there under.

FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF STATE BAR COUNCIL:

Every Bar Council is a body corporate having perpetual succession and a

common seal with power to acquire and hold property, both movable and
immovable and to contract and may by the name by which it is known
sue and be sued.
Functions of State Bar Council: Section 6(1) of the Advocates Act
provides that the functions of State Bar Council shall be –
(a) to admit persons as advocates on its roll;

(b) to prepare and maintain such roll;

(c) to entertain and determine cases of misconduct against

advocates on its roll;
(d) to safeguard the rights, privileges and interest of advocates on
its roll;
(dd) to promote the growth of Bar Associations for the purpose of
effective implementations of the welfare schemes referred to in clause (a)
of sub section (2) of this section and clause (a) of sub section (2) of
section;
(e) to promote and support law reform;

(ee) to conduct seminars and organize talks on legal topics by eminent

jurists and publish journals and papers of legal interest;
(eee) to organize legal aid to the poor in the prescribed manner;

(f) to manage and invest the funds of the Bar Council;

(g) to provide for the election of its members.

(gg) to visit and inspect Universities in accordance with the directions

given under clause (I) of sub-section (1) of section7;
(h) to perform all other functions conferred on it by or under this Act;
 (i) to do all other things necessary for discharging the aforesaid
functions.
(2) A State Bar Council may constitute one or more funds in the
prescribed manner for the purpose of -
i. Giving financial assistance to organize welfare scheme for the
indigent, disabled or other advocates;
ii. Giving legal aid or advice in accordance with the rules made in this
behalf;
iii. Establishing law libraries.

(3) A State Bar Council may receive any grants, donations, gifts or
benefactions for all or any of the purposes specified in sub-section (2)
which shall be credited to the appropriate fund or funds constituted under
that sub-section.
Powers of State Bar Council:

1. Admission as advocates on a State roll:

If a person fulfils the conditions required for admission as advocates, he

may be enrolled as an advocate by the State Bar Council, The conditions
to be fulfilled for being enrolled as an advocate have been stated in
Section 24 of the Advocates Act. An application for admission of
admission as an advocate shall be made in the prescribed form to the
State Bar Council within whose jurisdiction the applicant proposes to
practice (Section 25).
A State Bar Council is required to refer every application for admission as
an advocate to its enrolment committee which shall dispose of the
application in the prescribed manner. Where the enrolment committee of
a State Bar Council proposes to refuse any such application, it shall refer
the application for opinion to the Bar Council of India and every such
reference shall be accompanied by a statement of the grounds in support
of the refusal of the application. The enrolment committee of the State
Bar Council is required to dispose of the application so referred to the Bar
Council of India in conformity with the opinion of the Bar Council of India.
Where the enrolment committee of the State Bar Council has refused any
application for admission as an advocate on its roll, the State Bar Council
shall, as soon as may be, send intimation to all other State Bar Councils
about such refusal stating the name, address and qualifications of the
person whose application was refused and grounds for the refusal. It is to
be noted that the Bar Council of India may, if satisfied, either on a
reference made to it in this behalf or otherwise than any· person has got
his name entered on the roll of advocates by misrepresentation as to an
essential fact or by fraud or undue influence, remove the name of such
person from the roll of advocates after giving him an opportunity of being
heard (Section 26).
Section 26-A of the Advocates Act empowers a State Bar Council to
remove from the State roll the name of any advocate who is dead or from
whom a request has been received to that effect.
Section 27 of the Act provides that where a State Bar Council has refused
the application of any person for admission as an advocate on its roll, no
other State Bar Council shall entertain an application for admission of
such person as an advocate on its roll, except with the previous consent
in writing of the State Bar Council which refused the application and of
the Bar Council of India.
The State Bar Council is required to issue a certificate of enrolment in the
prescribed form to every person. Whose name is entered in the roll of
advocates maintained by it under the Act (Section 22).
2. Maintenance of roll of advocates:
Section 17 of the Advocates Act provides that every State Bar Council
shall prepare and maintain a roll of advocates in which shall be entered
the name and address of:
(a) all persons who were entered as advocates on the roll of any
High Court under the Indian Bar Councils Act, 1926, immediately
before the appointed day including persons being citizens of
India who before 15-8-1947, were enrolled as advocates under
the said Act in any area which before the said date was
comprised within India as defined in the Government of India Act,
1935 and who, at any time, express an entertain in the
prescribed manner to practise within the jurisdiction of the Bar
Council;
(b) all other persons who are admitted to be advocates on the roll of
the State Bar Council under this Act on or after the appointed
date.
Each such roll of advocates shall consist of two parts, the first part
containing the names of senior advocates and the second part, the names
of other advocates.
Entries in each part of the roll of advocates prepared and maintained by a
State Bar Council under this section shall be in the order of seniority and
subject to any rule that may be made by the Bar Council of India in this
behalf, such seniority shall be' determined as follows:
(i) the seniority of an advocate referred to in clause (a) (stated above)
shall be determined in accordance with his date of enrolment under the
Indian Bar Councils Act, 1926;
(ii) the seniority of any person who was a senior advocate of the
Supreme Court immediately before the appointed day shall, for the first
post of the State roll, be determined in accordance with such principles as
the Bar Council of India may specify;
(iii) the seniority of any other person who, on or after the appointed day,
is enrolled as a senior advocate or is admitted as an advocate shall be
determined by the date of such enrolment or admission, as the case may
be;
(iv) notwithstanding anything contained in clause (1), (stated above), the
seniority of an attorney enrolled, whether before or after the
commencement of the Advocates (Amendment) Act, 1980 as an advocate
shall be determined in accordance with the date of 'his enrolment as an
attorney - Section 17(3).
This section makes' it clear that no person shall be enrolled as an
advocate on the roll of more than one State Bar Council.
Section 19 of the Advocates Act requires the State Bar Council to send
copies of rolls of advocates to the Bar Council of India. It provides that
every State Bar Council shall send to the Bar Council of India an
authenticated copy of the roll of advocates prepared by it for the first time
under this Act and shall, thereafter communicate to the Bar Council of
India all alterations in and addition to, any such roll as soon as the same
have been made.
3. Rule-making power:
The State Bar Council has been empowered to make rules to carry out the
purposes of Sections 16 to 27 of the Advocates Act dealing with the
admission and enrolment of the advocates. According to sub-section (1)
of Section 28 of the Act a State Bar Council may make rules to carry out
the purposes of Chapter III (Sections 16 to 28) of the Act. Section 28(2)
provides that in particular and without prejudice to the generality of the
foregoing power, such rules may provide for:
(i) the time within which and form in which an advocate shall express his
intention for the entry of his name in the roll of a State Bar Council under
Section 20;
(ii) the form in which an application shall be made to the Bar Council for
admission as an advocate on its roll and. the manner in which such
application shall be disposed of by the enrolment committee of the Bar
Council;
(iii) the conditions subject to which a person may be admitted as an
advocate on any such roll; and
(iv) the instalments in which the enrolment fee may be paid.
Sub-section (3) of Section 28 of the Act makes it clear that the rules so
made shall not have effect, unless they have been approved by the Bar
Council of India.
(iv) Power to punish for professional or other misconduct:

The State Bar Council has power to punish an advocate for professional or
other misconduct. Section 35 of the Advocates Act provides that where on
receipt of a complaint or otherwise a State Bar Council has reason to
believe that any advocate on its roll has been guilty of professional or
other misconduct, it shall refer the case for disposal to its disciplinary
committee and thereafter the disciplinary committee shall fix a date for
the hearing of the case and shall cause a notice thereof to be given to the
advocate concerned an, the Advocate-General of the State. The
disciplinary committee after giving the advocate concerned and the
Advocate-General an opportunity of being heard, may make any of the
following order:
(a) dismiss the complaint or where the proceedings were initiated at the
instance of the State Bar Council, direct that the proceedings be filed;
(b) reprimand the advocates;
(c) suspend the advocate from practice for such period as it may deem
fit;
(d) remove the name of the advocates from the State roll of advocates.

Where an advocate is suspended from practice under clause (c), stated

above, he shall, during the period of suspension, be debarred from
practising in any Court, or before any authority or person in India.
According to Section 36-B of the Advocates Act the disciplinary committee
of a State Bar Council shall dispose of the complaint received
expeditiously and in each case the proceedings shall be concluded within
a period of one year from the date of the receipt of the complaint or the
date of initiation of the proceedings at the instance of the State Bar
Council, as the case may be, failing which such proceedings shall stand
transferred to the Bar Council of India for disposal. However, where on the
commencement of the Advocates (Amendment) Act, 1973, any
proceedings in respect of any disciplinary matter against an advocate is
pending before the disciplinary committee of a State Bar Council, that
disciplinary committee of a State Bar Council shall dispose of the same
within a period of 6 months from the date of such commencement or
within a period of one year from the date of the receipt of the complaint
as the case may be, the date of initiation of the proceedings at the
instance of the State Bar Council whichever is later, failing which such
proceeding shall stand transferred to the Bar Council of India for disposal.

Any person aggrieved by an order of the disciplinary committee of a State

Bar Council or the Advocate-General of the State may, within 60 days of
the date of the communication of the order to him, prefer an appeal to
the Bar Council of India(Section 37).
Every such appeal shall be heard by the disciplinary committee of the
State Bar Council of India which may pass such order including an order
varying the punishment awarded by the disciplinary committee of the
State Bar Council thereon as it deems fit:
Provided that no order of the disciplinary committee of the State Bar
Council shall be varied by the disciplinary committee of the Bar Council
India so as to prejudicially affect the person aggrieved without giving him
reasonable opportunity of being heard.
The person aggrieved by an order made by the disciplinary committee the
Bar Council of India under Section 36 or 37 or the Attorney general of
India or the Advocate-General of State concerned, as the case may be,
may prefer an appeal to the Supreme Court under section 38 of
Advocates Act.
Section 44 of the Advocates Act makes provision in respect of the review
of orders passed by the disciplinary committee. It provides that
disciplinary committee of a Bar Council may, of its own motion or
otherwise review .any order within 60 days of the date of that order
passed by it. However, no such order of review of the disciplinary
committee of a State Bar Council shall have effect, unless it has been
approved by the Bar Council of India.
5. Appointment of committees and Staff members:
A Bar council establishes several committees. According to section 9 of
the Advocates Act a Bar Council shall constitute one or more disciplinary
committee, each of which shall consist of three persons of whom two be
persons elected by the Coup.cil from amongst its members and the other
shall be a person co-opted by the Council from amongst who possess the
qualifications specified in the proviso to Section 3(2) of the Act and who
are not members of the Council and the senior most advocate amongst
the members of a disciplinary committee shall be the chairman thereof.

In addition to above, a Bar Council may constitute one or more legal aid
committed each of which shall consist of such number of member not
exceeding nine, 'but not less than five, as may be prescribed. The
qualifications, the method of selection and the term of office of the
members of a legal aid committee shall be such as may be prescribed.
Besides, a State Bar Council shall constitute the following standing
committees, namely-
(a) an executive committee consisting of five members elected by the
Council from amongst its members of, and
(b) an enrolment committee consisting of three members elected by the
Council from amongst its member.
Sub-section (3) of Section 10 of the Advocates Act makes it clear that a
State Bar Council, may constitute from· amongst its members such other
committees as it may deem necessary for the purpose of carrying out the
provisions of the Advocates Act.
Section 11 of the Advocates Act empowers the Bar Council to appoint
staff-members. It provides that every Bar Council shall appoint a secretary
and may appoint an accountant and such member of other persons on its
staff as it may deem necessary. The secretary and accountant shall
possess such qualifications as may be prescribed.

6. Maintenance of account, etc:

Section 12 of the Advocates Act provides that every Bar Council shall
cause to be maintained such books of accounts and other books in such
form and in such manner as may be prescribed. The account of the Bar
Council is required to be audited by the -auditors duly qualified to act as
auditors of companies under the Companies Act, 1956 at such times and
in such manner as may be prescribed. As soon as may be practicable at
the end of each financial year but not later than the 31st day of December
of the year next following, a State Bar Council shall send a copy of its
account together with a copy of the report of the auditors thereon to the
Bar Council of India and shall cause the same to be published in the
official Gazette. As soon as may be practicable at the end of each financial
year but not later than the 31st December of the year next following, the
Bar Council of India shall send a copy of its accounts together with a copy
of the report of the auditors there onto the Central Government and shall
cause the same to be published in the Gazette of India.

III PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER MISCONDUCT

Section 35 of the Advocates Act provides in respect of punishment for
professional or other misconduct. It provides that where on receipt of the
complaint or otherwise, a State Bar Council has reason to believe that any
advocate on its roll, has been guilty of professional or other misconduct, it
shall refer the case for disposal to its disciplinary committee. Section 35
empowers the disciplinary committee to reprimand the advocate and
suspend the advocate from practice for such period as it may deem fit or
remove the name of the advocate from the State roll of advocates.
However, an appeal against the order of the disciplinary committee may
be preferred, to the Bar council of India9 and thereafter to the Supreme
Court against the order of the Bar Council of India10. Section 35 of the
Advocates Act specifically mentions that an Advocate can be punished not
only for professional misconduct but also other misconduct.
In case of State of Punjab v. Ram Singh, AIR 1992 SC 2188, the
Supreme Court has explained the term “misconduct” in connection with
the misconduct of the personnel in the Police Department but may be
applied in determining whether or not conduct implies to misconduct. The
Supreme Court has observed that the term ‘misconduct’ may involve
moral turpitude, it must be improper or wrong behaviour, wilful in
character forbidden act, a transgression of established or definite rule of
action or code of conduct, but not mere error of judgment, carelessness
or negligence in performance of duty.
According to Black’s Dictionary the term “misconduct” is defined as a
transgression of some established and definite rule of action, a forbidden
act, a dereliction of duty, unlawful behaviour.
In Nortanmal Chauaisia v. M. R. Murli, 12 2004 AIR SCW 2894, the
Supreme Court has held that misconduct has not been defined in the
Advocates Act, 1961. Misconduct, inter alia, envisages breach of
discipline, although it would not be possible to lay down exhaustively as
to what would constitute misconduct and indiscipline, which, however is
wide enough to include wrongful omission or commission, whether done
or omitted to be done intentionally or unintentionally. It means improper
behaviour, intentional wrong doing or deliberate violation of a rule of
standard of behaviour’.
In the matter of P1, AIR 1963 SC 1313, the Court has held that an
advocate may be punished not only when he is guilty of professional
misconduct but also if he is guilty of other misconduct which may not be
directly concerned with the professional activity as such, may
nevertheless be of such dishonourable or infamous character as to invite
the punishment due to professional misconduct.

The Body or Authority Empowered to Punish for Professional or Other

Misconduct:

1. State Bar Council And Its Disciplinary Committee:

Organization: Section 35 of the Advocates Act makes it clear that on

receipt of a complaint or otherwise a State Bar Council has reason to
believe that any advocate on its role has been guilty of professional or
other misconduct, it shall refer the case for its disposal to disciplinary
committee - Section 35. It is one of the functions of the State Bar Council
to entertain and determine the cases of misconduct against the advocate
on its roll - Section 6(c). Section 9 of the Act requires the Bar Council to
constitute one or more disciplinary committees - Section 9(1). Each of
such committee is required to consist of three persons of whom two shall
be persons elected by the council from amongst its members and other
shall be a person co-opted by the council from amongst its member
advocates who possess the qualifications specified in the provisions to
sub-section (2) of section 3 and who are not members of council and the
senior most advocate amongst the members of the disciplinary committee
shall be the chairman thereof.
Procedure- Section 35 provides that after giving the advocate concerned
and the Advocate- General an opportunity of being heard, the disciplinary
committee of a State Bar Council may make any of the following orders-:
1. dismiss the complaint or where the proceedings were initiated at the
instance of the State Bar Council, direct that the proceedings be filed;
2. reprimand the advocate;
3. suspend the advocate from practice for such period as it may deem fit;
4. remove the name of the advocate from the State roll of advocates -
Section 35(3).

It is that when the advocate is suspended from the practice under the
aforesaid clause (3), he shall, during the period of suspension, be
debarred from practicing in any Court or before any authority or person in
India - Section 35(4).
2. BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA AND ITS DISCIPLINARY
COMMITTEE
Organization: Section 36 of the Advocates Act empowers the Bar
Council of India to refer, in certain circumstances, the case for disposal to
its disciplinary committee. Section 9 provides that the a Bar Council shall
constitute one or more disciplinary committees, each of which shall
consist of three persons of whom two shall be person selected by the
Council from amongst its members and the other shall be a person
elected by the council amongst advocates who possess the qualifications
specified in the provision to sub-section (2) of Section 3 and who are not
members of the council and the senior most advocate amongst the
members of disciplinary committee shall be the chairman thereof.
Powers: Section 42 deals with the powers of the disciplinary committee
of a Bar Council. The provisions of Section 42 have already been stated in
context of powers of the disciplinary committee of the State Bar Council.
Section 42-A makes it clear that the provisions of Section 42 shall, so far
as may be, apply in relation to the disciplinary committee of the Bar
Council of India. Section 43 makes it clear that the disciplinary committee
of the Bar Council of India may make such order as to the costs of any
proceedings before it as it may drew fit and any such order shall be
executable as if it were an order of the Supreme Court.
In Hikmat Ali Khan v. Ishwar Prasad Arya and Others, AIR 1997 SC
864, one Ishwar Prasad Arya who was an advocate practicing at Badaun
in U.P. he assaulted his opponent, Radhey Shyam in the court-room of
Munsif as Badaun with a knife. After investigation he was prosecuted for
offences under section 307 IPC and section 25 of the Arms Act and he was
sentenced for three years imprisonment. But he remained free on a
fraudulent letter said to have come from the governor spending the
conviction. The III Additional District and Sessions Judge, Badaun sent a
complaint containing these facts to the Chairman, Bar Council of U.P. The
disciplinary committee of U.P Bar Council debarred him from practicing for
a period of two years. The advocate appealed to the Bar Council of India
which set aside the order of the Bar Council of U.P. The appellant Himat Ali
Khan complained against the advocate and prayed for fresh inquiry. In the
said proceedings, the advocate appeared and filed his return statement
but thereafter he did not appear. Hence, the Bar Council of U.P proceeded
ex-parte against him and the disciplinary committee of the state Bar
Council of U.P debarred for a period of three years. The advocate again
appealed to the Bar Council of India and it had set aside the punishment.
Then Himat Ali filed appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court
held that his conduct was such that his name should be removed from the
state rule of advocates as he was found guilty of an offence attempting to
commit murder and convicted for it and as he was unworthy of remaining
in the profession.

IV RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF ADVOCATES:

Right of Advocates:

1. Right to Practice: The most important of right conferred to a lawyer

is his/her right to practice but there are a plethora of conditions which has
to be fulfilled for allowing a lawyer to exercise his right to practice. This is
the only right of advocates that has been codified and placed in the
Advocates Act, 1961 with the duties and code of conduct of lawyers. This
is an exclusive right and has been conferred to a set of people who are
deemed to be qualified to represent others. Earlier even friends and
family could represent an accused on facts but due to demand of
unification of bar, Section 29 was incorporated whereby there will be only
one recognized class of persons entitled to practice the profession of law
i.e. the advocates.3 Advocates have been conferred rights to practice not
only in all courts including the Supreme Court but also before any tribunal
or person legally authorized to take evidence and also before any other
authority or person before whom such advocate is by or under any law for
the time being in force entitled to practice. 4 Section 305 lays down the
right in clear words and Section 33 6 that is worded negatively to exclude
everyone other than an advocate from practicing.
As a rule, a person who is not an advocate on roll of a high court can not
represent accused but there are situations where the courts have used
their discretion to allow a power of attorney holder to plead on behalf of
the parties. However it is imperative to mention here that an advocate
does not include a person in whose favour a power of attorney has been
executed to take proceedings in court as he cannot be placed in the
position of an advocate, who has been given a vakalatnama.7
However, the right of a lawyer to practice is not an absolute right as there
are a number of fetters placed upon the same. Section 348 of the Act

3
Section 29 - Advocates to be the only recognized class of persons
entitled to practice law: Subject to the provisions of this Act and any rules
made there under, there shall, as from the appointed day, be only one
class of persons entitled to practice the profession of law, namely
advocates
4
Section 29 and 30 of the Advocate Act, 1961.
5
Right of advocates to practice – Subject to provisions of this Act, every
advocate whose name is entered in the 1[State roll] shall be entitled as of
right to practise throughout the territories to which this Act extends, –
(i) In all Courts including the Supreme Court; (ii) Before any tribunal or
person legally authorised to take evidence; and (iii) Before any other
authority or person before whom such advocate is by or under any law for
the time being in force entitled to practice.
6
Section 33- Advocates alone entitle to practise. Except as otherwise
provided in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force, no
person shall, on or after the appointed day, be entitled to practise in any
court or before any authority or person unless he is enrolled as an
advocate under this Act.
7
Amita Misri v. State of J & K, (1988) Kash LJ 353.

8
Section 34. Power of High Courts to make rules. (1) The High Court may
make rules laying down the conditions subject to which an advocate shall
be permitted to practise in the High Court and the courts subordinate
thereto. [(1A) The High Court shall make rules for fixing and regulating by
taxation or otherwise the fees payable as costs by any party in respect of
the fees of his adversary’s advocate upon all proceedings in the High
Court or in any Court subordinate thereto. 2[(2) Without prejudice to the
provisions contained in sub-section (1), the High Court at Calcutta may
make rules providing for the holding of the Intermediate and the Final
examinations for articled clerks to be passed by the persons referred to in
Section 58 AG for the purpose of being admitted as advocates on the
State roll and any other matter connected therewith.]
empowers high court to make rules prescribing conditions subject to
which an advocate will be permitted to practice in the High Court and the
courts below. Hence, an advocate’s right to practice in all courts is subject
to the rules made by High Court.
One thing to be noted in this regard is that Section 30 has not come into
operation as yet. Section 1(3) of the Act suggests that the provisions of
the Act will come into effect from the day notified by the Central
Government and since no such date has been notified in the Official
Gazette, the Act has not come into full force. This position was
substantiated by the Supreme Court in the case of Altmeish Rein v.
Union of India, AIR 1988 SC 1768 at 1771, wherein the Apex Court
held that a person enrolled as an advocate is not ipso facto entitled to a
right of audience unless this section is first brought into force. This also
means that Section 30, in its present form, does not confer an absolute
right to practice but is subject to other provisions of the Act.
There have been several instances where this right of advocates has
upheld by the Courts for instance in case of Jaswant Kaur v. State of
Haryana, AIR 1977 P&H 221, where a full Bench of Punjab and Haryana
High Court held that the provisions under Haryana Ceilings on Holdings
Act prohibiting an advocate from appearing before any authority except
Financial Commissioner, were unconstitutional in light of the Section 14 of
the Bar Council’s Act, even though Section 30 has not been brought into
effect.
However, there have been enough instances wherein the right has been
restricted for other reasons. One of the most important cases in this
regard is that of Paradip Port Trust v. Their Workmen, AIR 1977 SC
36, where Section 36(4) of the Industrial Disputes Act that forbids parties
to industrial dispute to be represented by a lawyer except with the
consent of other parties and permission of the labour court, tribunal etc.
The court held that Section 30 of the Advocate’s Act would not be
applicable in this case as Industrial Disputes Act is legislation with avowed
object of labour welfare and representation before adjudicatory
authorities has been specially provided. It was also held that a special Act
would override the provisions of Advocate’s Act which is a general law.
There are a number of other restrictions placed upon the right to practice
of a lawyer as they do not have a right to represent others in
departmental enquiries. It is also to be noted that the Section does not
confer any right on the litigant to be represented by the lawyer but only
on a lawyer to practice.
Once a lawyer has been engaged in a case, his right continues to be in
existence unless and until it is terminated by writing signed by him or his
client with the leave of the court; it will also come to an end with the
termination of the proceedings or with the death of the lawyer or that of
the client.
It is however to be noted here that the right to practice the profession of
law is a statutory right and not a fundamental right9. It is also to be noted
that only advocates, who are enrolled as per this Section can practice,
while others not so entitled and illegally practicing are punishable under
Section 4510 of the Act.
Section 32 of the Act provides for an exception to the application of
Section 30 and provides for situations where persons other than
advocates enrolled with the Bar can represent others with the permission
of the court. This provision acts as an antithesis to the provision under
Section 30 as the court has been given discretion to allow any person, not
an enrolled advocate to practice law. However, this might be a necessity
in certain cases and we need to reply upon the wisdom of the courts to

9
Basudeb Dutta v. State of WB, (1981) II Cal HN 56.
10
Penalty for persons illegally practicing in courts and before other
authorities. Any person who practises in any court or before any authority
or person, in or before whom he is not entitled to practise under the
provisions of this Act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to six months.
take the right decision in this regard. This position was substantiated by
the case of T.K Kodandaram v. E. Manohar,11 where no lawyer was
ready to defend the case, the court decided to allow the petitioner’s
brother to represent him. However, it is to be kept in mind that the powers
under this Section have been given to the courts and tribunals for special
circumstances and they ought to be exercised judiciously.
Another important aspect that is needed to be considered here is the
power of High Court to make rules regarding right to practice of the
advocates. However, it has been specified that the words ‘laying down the
conditions subject to which an advocate shall be permitted to practice’
under Section 34 must be given a restricted meaning of permitting
physical appearance of the advocate and not his general right to practice.
2. Right to Fee:

One of the important rights of the advocate is right to fee. An advocate

has a right to his fee and this right is absolute as it does not depend upon
winning or losing of the case and in either case the client will have to pay
up the fee. A lawyer has no legal remedy if his/her fee is not paid, but he
accepts what the client is willing to pay in accordance with the bargain
but in such cases advocate can refuse to appear before the court. The
advocate has also a right to waive this right and take up a case without
charging any fee at all.
Another aspect to be taken into account here is that an advocate can be
denied agreed fees when he makes default or is found guilty of
misconduct but he cannot be deprived of agreed fees where the case has
been withdrawn for policy reasons and the advocate has done some work
in that particular case12.

11
1985 Mad LJ (Cr) 124.
12
Ram Babu Sharma v. State of MP, AIR 1989 MP 261.
3 Lawyers Right To Lien Over Client’s Papers:

Before India attained independence different High Courts in India had

adopted different views regarding the question whether an advocate has a
lien over the litigation files kept with him. In P. Krishnamachariar vs.
The Official Assignee of Madras13, a Division Bench held that an
advocate could not have such a lien unless there was an express
agreement to the contrary. A Full Bench of the Patna High Court in In re
B.N. Advocate14, held the view that an advocate could not claim a right
to retain the certified copy of the judgment obtained by him on the
premise that an appeal was to be filed against it. The Bench further said
that if the client had specifically instructed him to do so it is open to him
to keep it.
After independence the position would have continued until the
enactment of the Advocates Act 1961 which has repealed a host of
enactments including Indian Bar Council Act. When the new Bar Council of
India came into existence it framed Rules called the Bar Council of India
Rules as empowered by the Advocates Act. Such Rules contain provision
specifically prohibiting an advocate from adjusting the fees payable to him
by a client against his own personal liability to the client. As a rule an
Advocate shall not do anything whereby he abuses or takes advantage
of the confidence reposed in him by his client, (vide Rule 24). In this
context a reference can be made to Rules 28 and 29 which are extracted
below:
Rule 28. After the termination of the proceeding, the Advocate shall be at
liberty to appropriate towards the settled fee due to him, any sum
remaining unexpended out of the amount paid or sent to him for

13
AIR 1932 Madras 256.
14
AIR 1933 Pat 571.
expenses, or any amount that has come into his hands in that
proceeding.
Rule 29. Where the fee has been left unsettled, the Advocate shall be
entitled to deduct, out of any moneys of the client remaining in his hands,
at the termination of the proceeding for which he had been engaged, the
fee payable under the rules of the Court, in force for the time being, or by
then settled and the balance, if any, shall be refunded to the client.
The issue was settled by the decision of the Supreme Court in R.D.
Saxena v. Balram Prasad Sharma15 wherein the Supreme Court
declared in the negative. In holding that giving the right of lien (unlike
what is allowed to a Solicitor in England) would lead to disastrous
consequences in as much as the flow of justice would be impeded. Court
also noted that given the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the
country, holding such a right of the legal practitioner may be susceptible
to great abuse and exploitation. The Court setting aside the technical
objection that such papers were under an agreement of bailment declared
that it was upon the ordinary process of law that the lawyer should
recover his dues but not by retaining the files of the client. The Supreme
Court also went on to declare that while it was a professional duty and
moral obligation of the lawyer to return the brief when the client required
to change counsel but also declared that not returning the files would be
considered as professional misconduct on the part of the erring lawyer.
4 Right to Access to Judge:

One right of the lawyer is to have access to the judge. Though the scope
of this right has not been defined anywhere, it is understood that it is the
right of a lawyer to have access to the Judge in urgent judicial matters at
any time during the day or night and the judge has to look into it. Another
right of a lawyer that has been considered quite odd is that a

15
AIR 2000 SC 3039.
lawyer has a right to refuse to recognize and appear before a presiding
judge, who is not in the prescribed robe of a judge in the court. The legal
profession seems to be more comfortable with the idea of allowing a
judge to disallow a lawyer in improper robe but not to this right of lawyers
as a result of which it is never exercised.
Privileges of Advocates:

Though the rights and privileges of advocates are similarly worded and
similarly treated, objectively there are minor differences between the two
concepts. It can be said that privileges are granted to a person by a higher
authority for specific purpose or being on a certain post, while rights are
vested in a person by virtue of his being in a particular position. One
simple example is that of right to vote that is vested in all citizens of a
country, while the privileges attached to the post of an ambassador are by
virtue of that post.
In context of lawyers, there is hardly any difference between the two as
the rights as well as privileges of the lawyers are derived from his duties
and have been granted to him for better conduct of his duties in the court
of law and hence, the words rights and privileges can be and have been
used interchangeably. Some of the privileges of the lawyers have been
discussed below.
One of the most important privileges of an advocate is to claim audience
from the court of law. In other words, any person who fulfils the prescribed
qualifications of the Bar and becomes member of the Bar; it is his/her
privilege to represent his clients in the court of law and to claim the
audience in courts and courts have to listen to him as long as he is acting
in accordance with the decorum of the court.
It is not be noted that the English law doctrine of absolute privilege for
acts and statements of lawyers in not applicable to the criminal law of
defamation in India, however a lawyer going to the court to attend a
matter or while returning from the court is exempt from arrest under civil
process other than a process issued by such court for contempt of that
court.
One of the special things about this profession is that the lawyer is
privileged to defend his client till the last despite knowing that he is guilty
of the crime. However, this is still not a personal privilege of the lawyer.
A lawyer is also entitled to enter public and political life without any
restrictions or fear and hence has the privilege of a political life of his
choice. He can contest elections and become a member of Central or
State legislature as well.
Another privilege that a lawyer has is that of being offered judgeship,
which means that he is made eligible for holding an office of a Judge,
District Government counsel, Advocate General of a State, Attorney
General or Solicitor General of India.
In addition to this the Governments ensures that

1. Lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions

without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper
interference;
2. Lawyers are able to travel and to consult with their clients freely
both within their own country and abroad; and
3. Lawyers shall not suffer, or be threatened with, prosecution or
administrative, economic or other sanctions for any action taken in
accordance with recognized professional duties, standards and
ethics, which is not the case in India.
Last but not the least important privilege that an advocate has is that of
independence. This is to say that a lawyer has the privilege of being
frank, fearless and independent as he stands for justice and fights for
justice along. This privilege might not be absolute as there are certain
reasonable restrictions on the same but the reality is that the lawyers are
more often than restricted on one or the other ground from being honest
and fearless, one such restriction being the fear of contempt of court in
addition to the others.
V RECIPROCITY AS PARTNERS IN ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE:
1. A lawyer, as a member of the legal profession, is a representative of
clients, an officer of the legal system and a public citizen having
special responsibility for the quality of justice;
2. As a representative of clients, a lawyer performs various functions. As
advisor, a lawyer provides a client with an informed understanding of
the client's legal rights and obligations and explains their practical
implications. As advocate, a lawyer zealously asserts the client's
position under the rules of the adversary system. As negotiator, a
lawyer seeks a result advantageous to the client but consistent with
requirements of honest dealings with others. As an evaluator, a lawyer
acts by examining a client's legal affairs and reporting about them to
the client or to others;
3. In addition to these representational functions, a lawyer may serve as
a third-party neutral, a nonrepresentational role helping the parties to
resolve a dispute or other matter. Some of these Rules apply directly
to lawyers who are or have served as third-party neutrals - Rules 1.12
and 2.4. In addition, there are Rules that apply to lawyers who are not
active in the practice of law or to practicing lawyers even when they
are acting in a nonprofessional capacity. For example, a lawyer who
commits fraud in the conduct of a business is subject to discipline for
engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or
misrepresentation;
4. In all professional functions a lawyer should be competent, prompt
and diligent. A lawyer should maintain communication with a client
concerning the representation. A lawyer should keep in confidence
 information relating to representation of a client except so far as
disclosure is required or permitted by the Rules of Professional
Conduct or other law;
5. A lawyer's conduct should conform to the requirements of the law,
both in professional service to clients and in the lawyer's business and
personal affairs. A lawyer should use the law's procedures only for
legitimate purposes and not to harass or intimidate others. A lawyer
should demonstrate respect for the legal system and for those who
serve it, including judges, other lawyers and public officials. While it is
a lawyer's duty, when necessary, to challenge the rectitude of official
action, it is also a lawyer's duty to uphold legal process;
6. As a public citizen, a lawyer should seek improvement of the law,
access to the legal system, the administration of justice and the
quality of service rendered by the legal profession. As a member of a
learned profession, a lawyer should cultivate knowledge of the law
beyond its use for clients, employ that knowledge in reform of the law
and work to strengthen legal education. In addition, a lawyer should
further the public's understanding of and confidence in the rule of law
and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional
democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain
their authority. A lawyer should be mindful of deficiencies in the
administration of justice and of the fact that the poor, and sometimes
persons who are not poor, cannot afford adequate legal assistance.
Therefore, all lawyers should devote professional time and resources
and use civic influence to ensure equal access to our system of justice
for all those who because of economic or social barriers cannot afford
or secure adequate legal counsel. A lawyer should aid the legal
profession in pursuing these objectives and should help the bar
regulate itself in the public interest;
7. Many of a lawyer's professional responsibilities are prescribed in the
Rules of Professional Conduct, as well as substantive and procedural
law. However, a lawyer is also guided by personal conscience and the
 approbation of professional peers. A lawyer should strive to attain the
highest level of skill, to improve the law and the legal profession and
to exemplify the legal profession's ideals of public service;
8. A lawyer's responsibilities as a representative of clients, an officer of
the legal system and a public citizen are usually harmonious. Thus,
when an opposing party is well represented, a lawyer can be a zealous
advocate on behalf of a client and at the same time assume that
justice is being done. So also, a lawyer can be sure that preserving
client confidences ordinarily serves the public interest because people
are more likely to seek legal advice, and thereby heed their legal
obligations, when they know their communications will be private;
9. In the nature of law practice, however, conflicting responsibilities are
encountered. Virtually all difficult ethical problems arise from conflict
between a lawyer's responsibilities to clients, to the legal system and
to the lawyer's own interest in remaining an ethical person while
earning a satisfactory living. The Rules of Professional Conduct often
prescribe terms for resolving such conflicts. Within the framework of
these Rules, however, many difficult issues of professional discretion
can arise. Such issues must be resolved through the exercise of
sensitive professional and moral judgment guided by the basic
principles underlying the Rules. These principles include the lawyer's
obligation zealously to protect and pursue a client's legitimate
interests, within the bounds of the law, while maintaining a
professional, courteous and civil attitude toward all persons involved
in the legal system;
10. The legal profession is largely self-governing. Although other
professions also have been granted powers of self-government, the
legal profession is unique in this respect because of the close
relationship between the profession and the processes of government
and law enforcement. This connection is manifested in the fact that
ultimate authority over the legal profession is vested largely in the
courts;
11. To the extent that lawyers meet the obligations of their professional
calling, the occasion for government regulation is obviated. Self-
regulation also helps maintain the legal profession's independence
from government domination. An independent legal profession is an
important force in preserving government under law, for abuse of
legal authority is more readily challenged by a profession whose
members are not dependent on government for the right to practice;
12. The legal profession's relative autonomy carries with it special
responsibilities of self-government. The profession has a responsibility
to assure that its regulations are conceived in the public interest and
not in furtherance of parochial or self-interested concerns of the bar.
Every lawyer is responsible for observance of the Rules of Professional
Conduct. A lawyer should also aid in securing their observance by
other lawyers. Neglect of these responsibilities compromises the
independence of the profession and the public interest which it serves;
13. Lawyers play a vital role in the preservation of society. The fulfilment
of this role requires an understanding by lawyers of their relationship
to our legal system. The Rules of Professional Conduct, when properly
applied, serve to define that relationship.