SC Issues Notice on Plea to Allow Advocates to Advertise, Take Up Other Works

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice in a plea seeking issuance of directions to the Bar Council of India to permit use of advertisements for lawyers till March 2021, allow public listings so that other para-legal work can be taken up by them to earn their livelihood in light of the pandemic situation and allow alternative means of sustenance. A bench of Chief Justice SA Bobde, N. Subhash Reddy & AS Bopanna issued notice to the Bar Council of India. The notice is returnable in 2 weeks. The PIL has been filed by a practicing lawyer and Senior Standing Counsel to the Income Tax Department, Charanjeet Chanderpal, in his capacity as Secretary General of a Non Governmental Organisation by the name of Nitya Law Society. Averring that existing rules need to be altered in order to accommodate advocates who are from middle and lower middle class and are unable to sustain themselves, the plea states. In such situations, for persons other than advocates, if one option to earn to sustain is affected, they can look for alternatives and endeavour that would come in their way. However, if an advocate works outside his profession to stabilize his income, the regulations that govern the conduct of advocates will consider it as professional misconduct”.