Madras HC refuses to take up plea alleging delay in enrolment of lawyers – Times of India

CHENNAI: The Madras high court has refused to entertain a plea moved by a lawyer alleging inordinate delay on part of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to enrol new members who have applied for a considerable time.
However, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu said, “the Bar Council may do well to take up the applications and dispose of the same as expeditiously as possible.”
The issue pertains to a PIL moved by advocate K B Vijayakumar seeking direction to the council to enrol the applicants whose applications are pending enrolment from 2016 to 2021.
The petitioner also wanted the Bar Council of India issue fresh or re-issue circulars / notifications to all state bar councils clearly specifying the documents that must be taken for enrolment of law graduates as advocates and not to insist on documents that need to be produced only by already enrolled advocates.
When the plea came up for hearing on Monday, the bench pointed out that there may not be any element of public interest since the affected candidates ought to complain directly. To this, the petitioner submitted that the candidates may be scared to complain against the Bar Council, lest the Bar Council resorts to any measure to prejudice them.
Refusing to concur, the court said: “There is no basis for the petitioner’s apprehension that the Bar Council may be vindictive in its action.”