Karnataka HC: Law College Must Replace Buntings Featuring Person in Advocate's Gown

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Panchayat Development Officer, Grama Panchayat, Bharathinagara, to defer for eight weeks any action against a trust running a newly commenced law degree course over buntings displaying the image of a person, giving the trust the opportunity to replace the buntings with ones confined to details of the course and the institution.

Justice B.M.Shyam Prasad was hearing a writ petition filed by M/s.Bharathi Education Society Trust, Bharathi Nagar, Mandya District, which runs multiple educational institutions in Maddur Taluk and has commenced a Law Degree Course. The petitioner's grievance was with a Communication dated 02.06.2026 issued by the second respondent, calling upon it to remove buntings put up with the image of a person, failing which action would be taken. The Communication stated that while the petitioner was permitted to put up buntings, this was subject to the condition that they did not carry the image of a person, and that despite notice, the petitioner had failed to remove the buntings.

Appearing for the petitioner, Sri K.B.Monesh Kumar submitted that the Bar Council of India had accorded permission for commencement of the law degree course from the academic year 2026-27, and that the buntings put up were in accordance with the permission covered under an agreement between the petitioner and the second respondent dated 29.08.2023. He submitted that if the petitioner was informed of the specific parts of the buntings that were objectionable, those would be removed.

On a perusal of the photographs of the buntings produced as Annexure-C, the court noted that they carried the image of a person in what could be the attire prescribed for Advocates, and observed that “the Bar Council of India Rules would be against any advertisement of an individual”. When this was put to Sri K.B.Monesh Kumar, he submitted that the court may grant the petitioner time to replace the buntings with the image of a person, even that of a student, so that the petitioner's right was not jeopardised while ensuring there was no violation of the relevant Rules.

Sri Bopanna Belliappa, the learned Additional Government Advocate appearing for the first respondent, was also heard. The court held that if the petitioner replaced the image of a person in advocate's attire in deference to the Bar Council of India Rules, and ensured that the buntings were confined to the Law Degree Course and details of the institution without emphasis on any individual, the second respondent “cannot be precipitous in bringing about a termination of the petitioner's right”, and that the court must therefore intervene on terms.

Disposing of the petition, the court directed the second respondent to defer action under the impugned Communication for eight weeks, reserved liberty to the petitioner to replace the buntings with ones bearing details of the Law Degree Course and the institution and to file an affidavit to that effect with the second respondent, and directed the second respondent to reconsider the issue after the eight-week period in light of such replacement, without hindering the Bar Council's permission or recognition in favour of the petitioner's institution or the agreement concluded with the petitioner.

Appearances:

For the Petitioner: Sri K.B.Monesh Kumar, Advocate.

For Respondent No.1: Sri Bopanna Belliappa, Additional Government Advocate.

Case Title: M/s.Bharathi Education Society Trust vs. State of Karnataka & anr., WP No.18384 of 2026 (LB-RES)