Dress code for lawyers: Bar Council of India constitutes five-member committee
Advocate Ashok Pandey of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court in July 2021, questioning the existing dress code for lawyers
The Bar Council of India has constituted a five-member committee to decide on the issue of dress code for lawyers.
Advocate Ashok Pandey of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court in July 2021, questioning the existing dress code for lawyers.
On Thursday, Pandey received a counter-affidavit filed by the Bar Council of India on his petition.
In the affidavit, Srimanto Sen, secretary, BCI, informed about the regulatory body’s decision to constitute a five-member committee to decide the issue.
The Bar Council of India is the highest regulatory body of lawyers across the country.
“The petitioner has stated that the band is a symbol of Christianity and should be discontinued. As per his statement, non-Christians cannot be compelled to wear it. He has questioned wearing of the coat and gown too,” Srimanto Sen said in the letter.
“At the time of framing the rules and neither today till date has it been given this kind of interpretation,” Sen added.
“The issue requires detailed deliberations with all stakeholders, including senior members of the Bar and the judiciary, before the issue can be decided,” Sen said.
“Therefore, the Hon’ble chairman, Bar Council of India, is authorized to constitute a five-member committee to have detailed deliberations and furnish its report to the Council,” said Sen.
In his petition, Pandey had stated that the prescribed dress code of lawyers was unreasonable and violates the fundamental rights of lawyers.
Pandey has also sought quashing of the circular framed by the high court administration that mandates wearing of black robes during hearings.
