Observing that the occasion of law graduates getting enrolled with a Bar Council is a “holy ceremony and not a funeral ceremony”, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTN) warned law graduates of severe action if they affix posters, burst crackers, beat drums and indulge in noisy celebrations on the road during their enrolment ceremonies.
Tired of such instances and with specific reference to the happenings during enrolment of 534 law graduates on December 21, the BCTN warned that, in future, erring candidates would be subjected to disciplinary proceedings and their enrolment shall be kept in suspension. It also made clear that no mercy or sympathy shall be shown to such people.
Pompous celebration
The decision was taken by a special committee of senior counsel R. Singaravelan and advocate N. Chandrasekharan who had been managing the BCTN. The members were thoroughly unhappy with such pompous celebrations.
Wondering what big achievement lies in completing a law course and getting enrolled with the Bar Council when great achievers such as Chennai’s famous ₹5 doctor S. Jayachandran, who died recently, had served the people without any pomp, the BCTN said doctors and lawyers could not afford to earn a bad reputation among the general public.
Also expressing surprise over nearly 40,000 lawyers having got enrolled in BCTN since 2010 with an average of 5,200 enrolments having taken place every year, the special committee ordered that henceforth enrolment functions would be conducted on every Wednesday and Saturday and not more than 75 candidates would be allowed to participate in each function.
Cautious of the pressure and influence that could be exerted from office-bearers of various bar associations and others to include candidates recommended by them during particular enrolment sessions, the special committee members asked the BCTN secretary not to entertain “any recommendation from any higher authorities.”
Since video evidence was available to prove the disturbance caused by the law graduates outside the BCTN premises on December 21 despite warnings issued by the police, the special committee asked them to voluntarily pay ₹1,000 each to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund so that the money could be used for providing relief to victims of Cyclone Gaja.
Passing a separate order with respect to 11 law graduates who had affixed posters with their photographs on the day of their enrolment, the committee ordered that they should tender unconditional apology and deposit ₹10,000 each for the welfare of the BCTN failing which their enrolment shall be kept in abeyance.
