BCI: Can’t bar MPs & MLAs from practice

New Delhi: The Bar Council of India on Saturday said it couldn’t bar MPs and MLAs who are lawyers from practising in courts, except those who participate in the removal proceedings of a judge in Parliament.

The BCI at its general council meeting considered the PIL filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyaya in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to bar MPs/MLAs from practising the legal profession. The court had sought the views of the BCI in this regard. 

The BCI said it appointed a committee to go into the issue and the committee has categorically stated that it is not in favour of imposing any such ban. It was of the opinion that legislators cannot be stopped from practising law. The panel made one exception that the BCI may consider framing of rules barring advocates who are MPs participating in removal proceedings of a judge when the motion for impeachment is admitted by either the Speaker of Lok Sabha or Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The BCI it has accepted the panel’s recommendation in this regard and this view will be informed to the apex court when the matter is taken up for hearing.