Bar council of TN suspends 1,025 advocates from profession for not clearing exam

Chennai: The Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Wednesday has suspended 1,025 advocates from pursing the profession for not passing All India Bar Examination conducted by Bar Council of India.

In a circular addressed to president and secretaries of Bar/Advocates Association, C. Rajasekar, secretary of the council, has stated that the Bar Council of India has been conducting All India Bar Examination from 2010.

The Bar Council of India so far conducted 10 examinations. However, the Bar Council of India at its meeting held on August 26, 2012, permitting the newly enrolled advocates to practice for the period of two years provisionally from the date of enrolment. If they fail to clear the All India Bar Examination within the prescribed period of two years, they are not eligible to practice as advocates in any court of law, tribunals etc. till they clear the said examination.

Further, Rajasekar said that the First Bench of High Court of Madras on July 3, 2015 directed the Bar Council to suspend those advocates, who have not cleared the All India Bar Examination within the stipulated period of two years.

They are also not eligible for any of the benefits under the 'Welfare Fund Scheme' and also not entitled to vote in the Bar Association / Advocates Association election, in which he/she was admitted.

"We therefore hereby inform all the members of the Bar that if any advocate, who practices as an advocate even after this notice without passing the All India Bar Examination, the Bar Council will removal proceedings against them without any further notice," he said.