Tamil Nadu Bar Council to decide today on lawyers' 'unruly' behaviour

Chennai: The Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has decided to take a decision on Thursday on the issue of errant advocates allegedly engaging in unruly behaviour like laying seige to court halls, taking out rallies and obstructing court work.

D Selvam, Chairman of the Bar Council, said they would take a decision on Thursday on the matter.

The Bar Council, while doing so, referred to three cases registered against Madurai District Bar Association office-bearers and 20 others for an anti-helmet rally, the subsequent letter by city police commissioner requesting action against the lawyers, Registrar General's letter on Wednesday to it seeking action, the Additional Solicitor General's letter to it on the issue and apex court observations on the stir in MHC by some lawyers.

The Registrar General had written to the Bar Council seeking appropriate action over the September 14 protest by some lawyers before the MHC Chief Justice's bench demanding that Tamil be made official language.

ASG of India, G Rajagopalan, too, had earlier written to the Bar Council stating that he was witness to the pandemonium in the CJ's court hall and has requested action against about 12 advocates.

On September 21, Supreme Court had said that judges in MHC have "fear psychosis" due to constant threat that lawyers might enter courtrooms shouting slogans and lamented that never before has the situation fallen to "such low levels".

All India Bar Association chairman Adish C Aggarwala, too, has called for suo motu action against lawyers obstructing the course of justice.

Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra has written to Tamil Nadu Bar Council questioning the 'silence' of the latter in taking action against such lawyers.

He said if the state bar council fails to take action, BCI would take suo motu note of the affairs and initiate action against the lawyers.