BCI withdraws suspension of TN lawyers

Chennai, Aug 22 (PTI) The Bar Council of India haswithdrawn the suspension of 126 Tamil Nadu lawyers, includingleaders of various bar associations, who faced the action overtheir protest against amendments to the Advocates Act. The decision was taken considering a letter written by BarCouncil of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTP) to BCI ChairmanMannan Kumar Mishra about resumption of work by the lawyerssubsequent to temporary withdrawal of their more thanthree-month-long protest. This was stated in a communication sent by the BCI Chairmanand Joint Secretary Ashok Kumar Pandey to BCTP Chairman DSelvam, BTCP sources said today. The BCI had on July 24 suspended the lawyers and prohibitedthem from practising in any court or tribunal in the countryfor spearheading the protest against amendments to thedisciplinary rules under the Advocates Act. However, later it had stayed till today the suspensionafter the agitating lawyers announced temporary withdrawal oftheir stir on August 14. BCI had then directed BCTP to file areport with regard to attendance of lawyers in the courts. In this backdrop, BCTP wrote to the Chairman of BCIinforming him about resumption of work by the lawyers. The BCI made it clear that the suspension would not betreated as misconduct on the part of suspended lawyers for anyperformance in future and it shall not adversely affect theircareer in anyway. The lawyers have been opposing a notification issued by theMadras High Court in May last making amendments to existingrules under the Advocates Act with a view to ensure peacefulconduct of court proceedings and suggesting disciplinaryaction to be taken against erring advocates. The court later constituted a judges’ committee to lookinto the grievances of the lawyers and repeatedly urged thelawyers to give up their agitation and approach the panel. It had also made it clear that practically the rules werealready in abeyance for the time being in view of a FullCourt’s assurance that no action would be taken under therules till they were reviewed. PTI COR VSSMNMAV