Bar Council of India revokes suspension of 54 Sambalpur lawyers

SAMBALPUR:  The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Monday revoked the suspension of the 54 lawyers of Sambalpur District Bar Association (SDBA), involved in the  violence on the premises of district court on December 12 last year.

In a resolution issued on Monday, quoting the report of the fact-finding committee, the BCI stated the suspension of all the 54 advocates is revoked for the time being. “However, the district and sessions judge is hereby requested to keep a strong vigil/watch over the conduct and activities of the 54 advocates and it is made clear that if any adverse report is received by the council, strong disciplinary action will be taken by the council without any further leniency.”  stated the BCI.

It further added, “Moreover, all the 54 advocates shall furnish an undertaking to the secretary, BCI that they shall not indulge in any such activities in future. Copies of such undertakings should be forwarded to the secretary, BCI within a period of 10 days from today, through email. The council shall review the matter in the second week of May, 2023.”  

Reportedly, on December 12, a mob demanding establishment of a High Court bench barged into the premises of the district court complex, after jostling with the police and ransacked the court besides the chamber of the district judge. As many as 38 persons including 29 lawyers had been arrested in connection with the incident. 

Following the violence, BCI suspended the license of practice of all the lawyers of the SDBA. However, later, the licences of members except the 54 were restored. On February 25, a three-member fact-finding committee constituted by the BCI to ascertain the truth behind the incident that occurred in the district court had visited Sambalpur.