The Karnataka State Bar Council (KSBC) on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu Bar Council (TNBC) to identify and take action against a section of advocates from Tamil Nadu who behaved in an “unruly” manner on the premises of the High Court of Karnataka earlier this week following the outcome of AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa’s plea against her conviction and sentence in the disproportionate assets case.
Resolution passedA unanimous resolution in this regard was passed at the meeting of the KSBC, which was convened to hand over charge to the newly elected office-bearers.
The KSBC, in its resolution, termed the conduct of the T.N. advocates as “undermining the dignity of the judiciary as well as the legal profession”.
“The acts by a group of T.N. advocates of raising slogans against Karnataka State, the judiciary, burning effigy of the judges, and demanding verdict suitable to them, etc., are highly condemnable and also amount to contempt of court,” said P.P Hegde, newly elected KSBC chairman, while pointing out that it amounted to professional misconduct by advocates.
‘False information’C.R. Gopalaswamy, outgoing chairman, said the acts of the T.N. advocates of allegedly spreading “false” information to the media that the High Court granted bail to Ms. Jayalalithaa and distributing sweets much before the court passed the order, and later raising slogans against the judiciary and the judge when the court refused to grant bail could not be tolerated.
The KSBC, Mr. Hegde said, would soon write to the TNBC asking them to identify the advocates from Tamil Nadu whose behaviour was demeaning to the judiciary and lawyers. The TNBC would be asked to initiate legal action, including disciplinary action, against them apart from ascertaining whether all those who indulged in such acts were really advocates or posing as advocates.
He also said the video footage available from various sources, including from the media, could be used to ascertain whether they were advocates from the TN Bar Council or not.
Mr. Hegde added that the KSBC condemned any attempt to harm the cordial relationship between Karnataka and T.N. in the guise of the judicial outcome of the case.
Published - October 12, 2014 12:09 am IST
