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The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Wednesday announced that it will convene a meeting next week to constitute committees and expert groups for implementing the Supreme Court's landmark judgment in Ajay Vijh v/s Indian Banks Association & Ors, describing the verdict as a historic affirmation of the independence, dignity and self-regulatory character of the legal profession.
In a detailed press statement issued by BCI Chairman and Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, the Council welcomed the July 7 judgment authored by Justice P S Narasimha for a Bench also comprising Justice Alok Aradhe. The BCI said the ruling recognises that the independence of the legal profession is as vital to the rule of law and democracy as the independence of the judiciary itself. Calling advocates "officers of the Court" and indispensable partners in the administration of justice, the BCI said the judgment reinforces that issues concerning the professional conduct, competence, negligence or misconduct of advocates fall within the exclusive disciplinary jurisdiction of the statutory Bar Councils constituted under the Advocates Act, 1961. The Council said it would immediately begin implementing the Supreme Court's directions by constituting committees to undertake a comprehensive performance audit of disciplinary mechanisms administered by the Bar Council of India and State Bar Councils. The audit will examine institutional functioning, disposal rates, pendency, timelines, regional variations, procedural practices, staffing, transparency and the overall effectiveness of disciplinary proceedings. The BCI also welcomed the Supreme Court's emphasis on institutionalising Continuing Legal Education (CLE), saying the legal profession cannot remain static in a rapidly changing society. It described the Court's suggestion for establishing a full-time National Legal Academy for advocates as a path-breaking reform that could become a centre for continuing professional development, mentoring, ethical training, technological capacity building and specialised legal education. According to the Council, the proposed academy would bridge the gap between urban and rural practitioners, senior and junior advocates, while promoting professional competence and ethical standards across the Bar. The BCI further said that the committees to be constituted next week will deliberate on several reforms, including collection and analysis of disciplinary data across State Bar Councils, measures to ensure expeditious and transparent disciplinary proceedings, preparation of the framework for the proposed National Legal Academy, development of a national model for continuing legal education and professional development, and identification of technological and institutional reforms for modernising legal regulation and education. The Council stated that it has already initiated the process of identifying suitable land, buildings and allied infrastructure for establishing and operationalising the proposed National Lawyers Academy. It also said it would place an affidavit before the Supreme Court detailing the developments, decisions and measures taken in compliance with the judgment within the timeline fixed by the Court. Describing the verdict as the beginning of a "new institutional chapter" for the legal profession, the BCI said the judgment is not merely a declaration of the Bar's independence but a call for responsibility, renewal and collective action. It pledged to implement the Supreme Court's directions with sincerity, urgency and resolve. (ANI)
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