BCI,DBC to reply on plea against derecognising DU law course

The Delhi High Court today sought responses of Bar Council of India (BCI) and Delhi Bar Council (DBC) on a plea challenging the apex law body's order barring DU law graduates from being enrolled as advocates.
Justice Manmohan issued notices to BCI, DBC, Delhi University (DU) and its Faculty of Law and sought their replies by November 22 on a law student's petition for quashing BCI's September order.
BCI had issued a directive on September 25 asking all the State Bar Councils not to enrol students passing out from the three centres of DU's Law Faculty as advocates as the university had not applied for renewal of affiliation despite repeated reminders.

The plea, filed by Vinerjeet Kaur Sandhu, a fresh law graduate from DU, through advocate Naushad Ahmad Khan, said that the letter issued by BCI to DBC, other State Bar Councils and DU Vice-Chancellor was "unconstitutional, arbitrary, unjustified and against the principle of natural justice".
"The retrospective effect of the impugned resolution and office orders will hamper the career of the petitioner and also those who wanted to pursue their career as administrative officers, judicial officers, law officers, academicians, researchers or any other dignified field..." Khan said.
The plea sought direction to BCI and DBC that Sandhu be enrolled with DBC or any other state Bar Council of her choice as an advocate as she has completed the LLB (3-year Course) in the academic year 2014.

It also sought that compensation, cost and damages to the extent of Rs 50 lakh be paid to her "in the interest of justice, equity and good conscience".
The petition further submitted that almost 1600 students have passed out during the academic year 2013-14 and if the order of BCI is not set aside, "the career of these graduates would be jeopardized and tarnished and also will adversely affect the academic career of those pursuing the law course".