NEW DELHI: The Bar Council of India (BCI) today decided to allow members of Parliament and legislative assemblies to practise as advocates, but said that those who move an impeachment motion against any judge of the higher judiciary will not be allowed to appear before that court.
BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, a senior advocate, said that the decision was taken by the apex bar body to prevent the “misuse of powers” and “privileges” of a lawyer and not of a member of Parliament.
The issue of the alleged role of some lawyer-turned-politicians behind reported moves to impeach judges by Parliament came up before the general council meeting of the BCI today in which the council considered a report of its sub-committee on whether members of Parliament and legislative assemblies should be allowed to practise as advocates.
“The BCI has come to a final conclusion that we cannot stop or ban MPs from practising in the courts but there is an exception to it. The lawyer-MPs or MLAs, if they start any motion of impeachment or a removal proceeding against any high court or Supreme Court judge, they will not be allowed to practise in that particular court. This is the majority view of the council,” Mishra told a press conference here. (AGENCIES)
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