Kerala Bar Council chairman Joseph John has said restrictions will be imposed on lawyers appearing in court if they are found to have any other employment. Such lawyers will be removed from the practicing lawyers list
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said that at least one-fourth of the almost 50,000 lawyers enrolled with the Kerala Bar Council were not practicing lawyers but engaged in other professions, business or employed abroad. There are also some who have used bogus certificates to enrol in bar councils outside the State and then practise in Kerala. Even those who have passed away are on the rolls of the bar council. This happens because proper information about the status of those who have enrolled is not passed on to the Bar Council.
Mr. John said that in order to find a solution to the problem, a list on practicing and non-practicing lawyers enrolled with the bar council would be prepared.
A certificate of practice would be issued to those who continue practising in courts and that list would be notified. The benefits from the Lawyers Welfare Fund Board would be limited to practicing lawyers. Those who are not in the list would not be allowed to appear in court. The list would be prepared as per recommendations from bar associations.
A Bar Council Administrative Committee would be constituted to implement the new changes, Mr. John said. The list would be renewed every five year.
In order to work out details of the proposed certificate of practice, a meeting of the presidents and secretaries of all bar associations in the State would be held in Kochi on March 8.
