Observing that if there is there is a law academy for judges, why is it not for lawyers, the bench noted that no action is being taken against erring lawyers by the Bar Council.
SC quashes proceedings against Karnataka Dy CM Shivakumar in PMLA case
The Supreme Court on Friday said that lawyers too should undergo compulsory training like judges, who go to the National Judicial Academy for training, and asked the Bar Council of India, the regulatory body of the legal profession, to take steps to impart training to lawyers and senior advocates.
A bench comprising Justice Bela M Trivedi and Justice Pankaj Mithal observed that if judges can go to the National Judicial Academy, why not lawyers? The bench suggested that lawyers should possess a certificate from a recognised law university or else they must not be permitted to practise.
Observing that if there is there is a law academy for judges, why is it not for lawyers, the bench noted that no action is being taken against erring lawyers by the Bar Council. The court stressed the need for proper education and compulsory training for every lawyer, including senior advocates.
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The bench’s remarks arose during a hearing when senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for Souvik Bhattacharya, son of TMC MLA Manik Bhattacharya, apprised it that despite the absence of a summoning order, a bail application had been filed by one of the lawyers in the trial court.
Manik and Souvik, currently under arrest, are facing an investigation in connection with the alleged irregularities in teachers’ recruitment scam in West Bengal.
Stating that the suggestions coming from the bench were good, senior advocate Luthra said that he would ask BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra to develop such a practice.
Meanwhile, deferring the matter, the bench asked Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, to verify if there was any summoning order passed by the trial court.
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