Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has instructed authorities to expedite the enrollment process for new advocates with the state bar council.
Justice CV Bhaskar Reddy issued this directive after considering petitions from three law graduates who had received provisional certificates but faced challenges enrolling as advocates with the Telangana State Bar Council.
The petitioners—G Sai Teja from Nizamabad, along with G Radhika and R Daarvika from Secunderabad—highlighted a circular from the State Bar Council that suspended the enrollment process starting August 1, 2024, citing a letter from the Bar Council of India dated July 31 as justification for this halt.
According to the counsel for the petitioners, Nikunj Dugar, the Telangana State Bar Council lacks the authority to delay the enrollment process for new advocates.
He argued that even issuing enrollment applications cannot be halted. Dugar also mentioned that the Bar Council’s decision to raise the enrollment fee from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 was challenged in the Supreme Court, which reverted the fee back to Rs 750.
He urged the state bar councils to promptly commence the enrollment process without further delays.In response, Bar Council of India counsel Adesh Varma stated that the issue was no longer pending with them, as the central council had already instructed state councils on August 6 to proceed with enrollment in line with the Supreme Court order.
GM Moinuddin, representing the Telangana State Bar Council, confirmed that they began issuing applications to eligible candidates on August 6.
However, he added that the council sent the certificates to universities for verification before finalizing the enrollment process.
The Telangana State Bar Council representative assured the court that they would promptly set a date for enrolling new advocates in order of seniority. The judge directed the authorities to expedite the enrollment process and finalize a date for it at the earliest opportunity.
