'TN bar council not to ask lawyers to shun courts'

The Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry today gave an undertaking to the Madras High Court that it will not ask lawyers to abstain from courts or indulge in any agitation disrupting the court works in two states.
The BCTP's undertaking given to a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar led it to dispose a plea by an advocate, seeking a direction to the council to desist from "instigating" bar associations to shun courts.
Disposing of the petition, the bench said "In view of the undertaking, we do not think it is necessary to pass any order restraining the bar council from holding any meeting."

The bench gave its order after BCTP counsel Pothiraj, during the hearing of the plea, submitted to the bench that the bar council for the two states will not call upon advocates to abstain from courts or indulge in agitation and disrupt the court functions in the two states.
The plea had been filed by advocate K Muthuramalingam, suspended by the Bar Council of India chairman for taking part in an agitation against the amendments to the Advocates Act last year.
The petitioner had alleged that acting on a communication from the BCI, the state bar council has called for a meeting of all bar associations on April 16 to decide upon an agitation against the Law Commission of India's report titled 'The Advocates Act, 1961 (Regulations of Legal Profession).'

The petitioner submitted that the above act of the statutory body is against an apex court order and said "whoever and however high office they may hold, cannot be permitted to breach the law and preach about ethics and etiquette for lawyers.