BAR
COUNCIL OF INDIA - POLITY
News:
Delhi HC sends notice to
Bar Council of India to ensure safety, security of lawyers
What's
in the news?
●
The Delhi High Court has asked the Bar
Council of India and Bar Council of Delhi to respond to a plea by an advocate
for ensuring security and safety of the lawyers practicing in the courts of the
national capital.
Bar
Council of India (BCI):
●
It is a statutory body established under the Advocates Act, 1961 to regulate and represent the Indian bar.
●
It has framed the 'Bar Council of India Rules for Registration of Foreign Lawyers and
Foreign Law Firms in India, 2021'.
Key
takeaways:
●
It allows foreign lawyers and law firms to
practice in India but not appear in court.
Nodal
Ministry:
Ministry of Law and Justice
Functions:
●
It performs the regulatory function by
prescribing standards of professional
conduct and etiquette and by exercising disciplinary jurisdiction over the
bar.
●
It also sets standards for legal education and grants recognition to universities
whose degrees in law will serve as qualification for enrolment as an advocate.
●
It conducts the All India Bar Examination
(AIBE) to grant a 'Certificate of
Practice' to advocates practising law in India.
●
It also funds welfare schemes for economically weaker and physically
handicapped advocates.
Composition:
●
Each Bar Council shall have a Chairman and Vice-Chairman elected by
the Council in the manner prescribed by law.
●
The Attorney General of India and the
Solicitor General of India who are ex-officio
members.
●
Every Bar Council shall consist of 15 members such as
○
One shall be the Advocate-General.
○
Four shall be those nominated by the High
Court, not more than two of whom may be High Court Judges.
○
Ten shall be elected by the High Court's
advocates from among their number.
Eligibility:
●
Not less than five elected members of each
Bar Council must have been entitled to practise in the High Court for which the
Bar Council was formed for at least ten years.