Rajasthan HC adjourned after lawyer appears in vest

The court said that the Advocates Act requires lawyers to appear before courts in a prescribed dress.

A lawyer appeared before the Rajasthan high court in a vest on Friday and prompted adjournment of a bail hearing and an order asking lawyers to wear proper uniform even when they appear before courts via video conferencing.

The judge adjourned the case while referring to an earlier instance when he had similarly cautioned lawyers to appear in proper uniform after a lawyer appeared in his vest to argue the case on April 7.(HT archives. Representative image)

The court said that the Advocates Act requires lawyers to appear before courts in a prescribed dress. It added the decorum of courts should be maintained even when they are functioning through the virtual medium because of the Covid-19 pandemic that has prompted a lockdown to ensure social distancing to check its spread.

“Learned counsel for the petitioner was contacted through video conferencing. He was found to be wearing Banyan [vest]. Even through video conferencing, the decorum of court is required to be maintained,” justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma said in his order.

The judge adjourned the case while referring to an earlier instance when he had similarly cautioned lawyers to appear in proper uniform after a lawyer appeared in his vest to argue the case on April 7.

“This court has already observed that during this pandemic where court functioning is being done through video conferencing, lawyers must appear in proper uniform. Keeping in view that the petitioner’s counsel was not in proper uniform, the matter is adjourned.”

Sharma had on April 7 asked the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association to urge lawyers to be dressed appropriately when appearing through video conferencing. The Bar had subsequently assured compliance with the court’s directions.

Section 49 (1) (gg) of the Advocates Act empowers the Bar Council of India to frame rules prescribing the dress or robes to be worn by advocates after taking into account the climatic conditions.

An advocate has to wear a white shirt and long trousers which can be black striped, white or grey with black open breast coat and gown. They are also required to wear a white band. Lawyers can also wear black, white or grey dhoti instead of trousers.

After courts across the country started hearing cases through video conferencing due to the Covid-19 lockdown, various high courts and the Supreme Court have issued orders asking lawyers to be dressed in the prescribed uniform while appearing through video conferencing.