38.6c New Delhi, India, Saturday, August 02, 2025
Top Stories Supreme Court
Political NEWS Legislative Corner Celebstreet International Videos
Subscribe Contact Us
close
Judiciary

Bar Council of Delhi cannot make enrollment a 100% online process: Delhi HC

By Namya Bose      23 February, 2021 07:52 PM      0 Comments
 Bar Council of Delhi cannot make enrollment a 100% online process: Delhi HC

The Bench of the High Court at Delhi, observed on Monday ( February 22,2021) that the Bar Council Of Delhi cannot make its enrolment process totally online because it is seen that it is a policy decision. It stated that the Court cannot give directions to the Council to make it a 100% online process. 

Regardless, the Court advised the Bar Council to look into making the procedure online as much as possible for the benefit of hundreds of law graduates , some of them even approaching the Court with pleas.

5000 advocates have been recorded who have enrolled since July of 2020 by the partially online system that has been operating. The single judge bench of Justice Prathiba Singh noted, the Council has taken sufficient steps to provide for online enrolment already.The form for enrolment as well as its payment was made available online juts that the physical presence of the enrolled was a must for completion of the entire process.

A law graduate from Bihar, Abhishek Anand, filed a petition to the Court regarding the same during the ongoing pandemic. The petitioner was seeking permission for a complete online enrolment since he was unable to travel to Delhi before the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), moving the court for urgent relief. The Council responded saying, the provisional enrolment of the petitioner has already been granted. 

The petitioner went on to ask for the requirement of residential proff by the Bar Council to be quashed. The Bar Council of Delhi in their requirements states that a proof of residential or rent agreement in Delhi is mandatory. Anand uses reference to section 25 of the Advocates Act arguing that the provision requires proposes to practice and not residence thus mandating proof of it being unreasonable

Justice Singh refused to accept this argument as tenable and stated that the section had to be interpreted as requiring the applicant to reside in the place where he/she proposes to ordinarily practice, and there was nothing unreasonable about this.She also relied on Section 28 of the Act under which the Council was empowered to regulate conditions for the enrolment of advocates.The Court exclaimed, If one is going to practice in Delhi, they can't be residing in Bihar will they be coming to court from Bihar every day?

The Council was asked by the Court to consider making the process more transparent and convenient moving forward. They were to make definite calls on forms that are available and acceptance of online documents as well as payment of enrolment fee online and possible exemption from physically appearing for completion of the process.

Further, the Council was questioned on the failure to achieve a proper procedure online during the pandemic of COVID-19 when the petition was initially filed last year when Justice Navin Chawla, the single judge bench then, questioned, When everything is going digital during the COVID-19 pandemic, how can we accept the argument that it might be difficult for BCD to go online?



Share this article:



Leave a feedback about this
TRENDING NEWS

sc-to-first-consider-maintainability-of-review-against-2022-judgment-on-eds-powers-under-pmla
Trending Judiciary
SC to first consider maintainability of review against 2022 judgment on ED's powers under PMLA

SC to first decide if review pleas on ED powers under PMLA are maintainable; hearing on Karti Chidambaram’s plea set for August 6.

01 August, 2025 10:58 AM
sc-recalls-may-2-judgment-scrapping-jsw-steels-resolution-plan-for-bhushan-power-and-steel-ltd
Trending Business
SC recalls May 2 judgment scrapping JSW Steel's resolution plan for Bhushan Power and Steel Ltd

SC recalls its May 2 verdict cancelling JSW Steel’s ₹19,300 Cr resolution plan for Bhushan Power; matter to be heard afresh on August 7.

01 August, 2025 11:13 AM

TOP STORIES

sc-questions-justice-varma-over-failure-to-challenge-validity-of-in-house-inquiry-panel
Trending Judiciary
SC questions Justice Varma over failure to challenge validity of in-house inquiry panel

SC questions Justice Varma for not challenging in-house probe panel earlier despite cash haul case; asks why he joined inquiry if he found it flawed.

28 July, 2025 02:27 PM
timelines-for-governor-prez-to-clear-bills-kerala-asks-sc-to-return-presidential-reference-unanswered
Trending Executive
Timelines for Governor, Prez to clear Bills: Kerala asks SC to return presidential reference "unanswered"

Kerala urges SC to return Presidential reference on bill clearance timelines as “unmaintainable”, citing suppression of facts and settled SC rulings under Article 200.

28 July, 2025 02:38 PM
sc-refuses-to-stay-publication-of-draft-voters-list-in-bihar-on-aug-1
Trending Judiciary
SC refuses to stay publication of draft voters list in Bihar on Aug 1

SC declines stay on Bihar draft voter list; asks EC to consider Aadhaar, Voter ID for inclusion ahead of Assembly polls on August 1.

28 July, 2025 04:10 PM
why-so-many-students-dying-by-suicides-sc-asks-iit-kharagpur
Trending Judiciary
Why so many students dying by suicides, SC asks IIT Kharagpur

SC asks IIT Kharagpur why students are dying by suicide; raises concern amid rising campus deaths despite new mental health guidelines.

29 July, 2025 11:51 AM

ADVERTISEMENT


Join Group

Signup for Our Newsletter

Get Exclusive access to members only content by email