High court suspends new vakalat rules

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: A division bench of the Madras high court on Wednesday suspended the operation of new rules mandating that advocates affix photo identity cards on vakalats till March 1.

Justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and RMT Teekaa Raman passed the order on a batch of appeals moved by the Madras high court advocates association, Madras Bar Association and others.

Ordering notice to the suo motu impleaded respondent Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the high court registry returnable by four weeks, the court directed the Registrar-General not to implement the circular dated December 29, 2017 relating to filing of vakalats/memo of appearance.

The issue pertains to an order passed by a single judge of the court in November 2017 mandating advocates filing cases to affix a valid photo identity card, along with details of enrolment number, residential and office address and contact number, on vakalats.

In view of the order, the registry issued a circular notifying that the rules made in the order would come into force from January 2.

Aggrieved over the circular, the associations have now preferred the appeal. Among other things, the circular stipulated that attesting advocates too need to file proof of identity cards, in addition to residential addresses.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, lawyers representing the associations contended that the circular has caused practical difficulties while filing cases.

They said the circular was without jurisdiction and contrary to law.