The Bar Council of India constitutes a five-member committee to decide on the issue of dress code for lawyers

Public interest litigation (PIL) in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, questioning the existing dress code for lawyers.

Lucknow (UP) –  A counter-affidavit filed by the Bar Council of India on the petition of the lawyers of the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, regarding the dress code for lawyers.  It informed about the regulatory body’s decision to constitute a five-member committee, which will submit a report to the Council about the issue.

Dress code for lawyers: Bar Council of India constitutes five-member committee https://t.co/6mPyyZbdn9

— HT Lucknow (@htlucknow) April 7, 2022

The Lawyers Dress Code is not suitable for Indian climatic conditions

Advocate Ashok Pandey of the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has filed public interest litigation. In the petition, it is said that there is a rule that when presenting themselves in the Court, the lawyers should wear a black coat, gown and band. The rule of the Bar Council breaches the rule of the ‘Advocate Act’. When the Bar Council was given the authority to decide the dress code of the lawyers; they were also instructed to keep in mind the climatic conditions, but the Bar Council has kept country-wide the same uniform for the whole year. India experiences summer conditions in some of its parts for 9 months and some areas have summer for all 12 months.

The Band prescribed for the Lawyers is a Christian symbol

Advocate Ashok Pandey said further in his petition that the band worn by the lawyers is called a ‘Preaching band’ in Christian countries. Christian priests wear these bands when they give sermons to the congregation. This band is a Christian religious symbol. Hence, it is not legal to ask the lawyers to wear them.