Mumbai: The recently introduced rule of Bar
Council of India, asking fresh law graduates to pass a written
test for being eligible to practice law, has faced opposition
from as many as 11 state Bar councils all over the country.
This was disclosed at a press conference here today by
Jayant Jaibhave, Chairman Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa,
a body of over one lakh lawyers from the two states.
The Chairmen of 11 Bar Councils from various states, in
a meeting at Hyderabad on July 31, unanimously decided to
oppose the 100-mark examination sought to be conducted every
six months by the Bar Council of India to sharpen the legal
acumen of those entering the profession, Jaibhave said.
The first such examination in Maharashtra shall be held
on December 5 either at Mumbai or Nagpur, he said adding those
law graduates who have enrolled upto September 30 will be
entitled to appear for the test.
The state Bar Council is of the opinion that subjecting
law graduates to such test would not help in improving legal
acumen or skills as desired by the apex body of the advocates,
Jaibhave said.
"We shall oppose along with other state Bar Councils
and, if necessary, would move the Supreme Court", Jaibhave
said.
According to Jaibhave, the Bar Council of India had not
taken the state Bar Councils into confidence before deciding
on holding examination for law graduates. In rural areas, the
law graduates would be deprived from practising because this
rule requires them to clear the examination compulsorily.
The state Bar Council Chairman said his organisation
would endeavour to improve the legal education by undertaking
various training courses for law students.
The Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa would also make
efforts to curtail delay in judicial relief system. For this
purpose, the Bar Council would find out the causes for such
delay from the taluka and district courts and submit them to
the High Court and the Government, Jaibhave said.
The state Bar Council, he said, would also support Lok
Adalat, functioning of Legal Services Authority and socially
oriented schemes to make the system of law more respectful in
the society. For this purpose, all the Bar Council members
will work at district and taluka level actively.
The state Bar Council would also endeavour to make the
trial Courts strong and ensure that all the necessary
infrastructure was provided to them in the interests of
justice, Jaibhave said.
The state lawyers body would also aim at making law
process transparent and for that purpose all technical and
legal expertise and knowledge would be make available to the
Government, its Chairman said.
PTI
