The Supreme Court has ruled that the Bar Council of India (BCI) has neither express nor implied powers to initiate disciplinary proceedings against law students.
The Court clarified that disciplinary action over the conduct of law students falls under the authority of the concerned university or educational institution.
BCI’s powers limited under Advocates Act
The ruling came while the Supreme Court examined the provisions of the Advocates Act. The Court held that the legislation does not empower the BCI to initiate disciplinary proceedings against students pursuing law.
The Court noted that law students are not yet enrolled as advocates. Therefore, any disciplinary matters concerning their conduct must be dealt with under the rules and regulations of the university or educational institution where they are studying.
The judgment effectively makes it clear that the BCI’s disciplinary jurisdiction does not extend to law students who have not yet been registered as advocates.
