Law grad seeks enrolment through video conferencing

CHENNAI: A law graduate has moved the Madras high court to direct the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to organise enrolment of fresh advocates through video conferencing in view of the lockdown. The petitioner, S Harikrishnan of Thiruvarur, claimed that without being enrolled as advocates, news law graduates are barred from appearing for the All India Bar Exam (AIBE) – a mandatory test for all lawyers.

The last enrolment conducted by the state council was in January. Candidates who have applied for enrolment after January and completed verification are eagerly waiting to get themselves enrolled and commence their career as an advocate, counsel for the petitioner B Poongkhulali said.

Moreover, the last date to submit an application for AIBE-2020 would expire on July 27. Enrolment is a precondition for applying to AIBE. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the state bar to consider our request and organise the enrolment virtually, she added.

The petitioner further submitted that the state council has failed to see that candidates cannot practice as advocates till they are enrolled by the statutory body. It has also failed to consider that the enrolment can be conducted virtually even during the lockdown, he added.

Recording the submissions, a special division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice R Pongiappan suo motu impleaded the Bar Council of India (BCI) as party respondent and directed it to ascertain as to whether the last date to submit application for AIEB can be extended.