The Bar Council of India and the State Bar Council — Constitution, Powers and Functions

Doctors have the Medical Council, chartered accountants have the ICAI, and lawyers have the Bar Councils. When a Mumbai advocate is accused of taking money and not filing the case, the complaint does not go to the police or to the High Court first. It goes to a body of advocates elected by other advocates. Who sits on it, who sits above it, and what exactly can each of them do?

In two minutes

The Advocates Act, 1961 creates a two-tier system of self-regulation: State Bar Councils (s.3) that enrol advocates, keep the roll and try misconduct, and the Bar Council of India (s.4) that sets standards, recognises law degrees, supervises the State councils and hears appeals.

The rest of this chapter

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