CHENNAI: The Bar Council of India (BCI) in New Delhi, the statutory body governing legal education and the profession, will again consider the new rules framed by a Special Committee attached to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for the March 28 election, on February 18.
A submission to this effect was made before a division bench of Justices C T Selvam and N Sathish Kumar when a PIL from advocate Vasanthakumar came up for hearing on Tuesday.
“Pursuant to an (earlier) order in a writ petition, the BCI is to consider the matter afresh in the meeting to be convened on February 18,” the bench was told Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the bench stayed the operation of an order dated February 4 last of BCI, which neither granted nor refused its approval for the new rules framed by the Special Committee of the State Bar Council for the contestants in the March 28 election.
Among other things, the special committee had stipulated that advocates having at least 10 years experience at the Bar alone should contest the election. A resolution to this effect was adopted by the committee at its meeting here on January 24 and the same was forwarded to BCI in Delhi for its approval. However, by its reply dated February 4, BCI deferred its decision.
When the PIL challenging the inaction on the part of BCI came up today, the bench posted the matter for further hearing on March 1. The court also made it clear that this order of stay shall not act in any manner against the convening of the said BCI meeting at New Delhi.
Election rule for Bar
The special committee had stipulated that advocates having at least 10 years experience at the Bar alone should contest the election