Chapter: 2.7 Bar Council of India

BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA

The Bar Council of India constituted under the Advocates Act 1961. It lays down the standards of professional conduct and etiquette and also standards of legal education. The State Bar Councils does enrolment of advocates and enforcement of discipline is part of the obligations of the State Bar Council and the Bar Council of India exercises appellate jurisdiction. The Bar Council of India is a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to acquire and hold property, both movable and immovable, and to contract, and may by the name by which it is known sue and be sued.

Functions of Bar Council of India

The Bar Council of India performs following functions:

a)    to lay down standards of professional conduct and etiquette for advocates;
b)    to lay down the procedure to be followed by its disciplinary committee and the disciplinary committee of each State Bar Council;
c)    to safeguard the rights, privileges and interest of advocates;
d)    to promote and support law reform;
e)    to deal with and dispose of any matter arising under this Act, which may be referred to it by a State Bar Council;
f)    to exercise general supervision and control over State Bar Councils;
g)    to promote legal education and to lay down standards of such education in consultation with the Universities in India imparting such education and the State Bar Councils;
h)    to recognize Universities whose degree in law shall be a qualification for enrolment as an
i)    advocate and for that purpose to visit and inspect Universities or cause the State Bar Councils to visit and inspect Universities in accordance with such directions as it may given be in this behalf;
j)    to conduct seminars and organize talks on legal topics by eminent jurists and publish journals and papers of legal interest;
k)    to organize legal aid to the poor in the prescribed manner;
l)    to recognize on a reciprocal basis foreign qualifications in law obtained outside India for the purpose of admission as an advocate under this Act;
m)    to manage and invest the funds of the Bar Council;
n)    to provide for the election of its members;

Composition of the Bar Council of India

The Bar Council of India consists of 18 Members. Out of the 18 Members, the Attorney General of India and the Solicitor General of India are Ex-officio Members. The other 16 Members represent the 16 State Bar Councils in the country. The Members are elected for a period of five years and the Bar Council of India elects its own Chairman and Vice-Chairman for a period of two years from among the Members of the Bar Council of India.