In a strong move to uphold professional ethics, the Odisha State Bar Council has suspended a Bhadrak-based advocate from practising law for two years. The disciplinary action was taken under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, after the advocate posted a series of inflammatory and abusive comments against judicial officers on social media.
Disciplinary Action Under Advocates Act
Proceedings were initiated suo motu after the Bar Council received evidence of derogatory and obscene content shared under a pseudonym. The posts targeted judges of the Bhadrak district court with unverified corruption allegations and abusive language.
A three-member disciplinary committee — comprising Bibhu Prasad Tripathy (Chairman), Phoni Bhusan Patnaik, and Tapan Kumar Biswal — delivered its order on September 13. The committee relied on certified copies of the social media posts and photographs from enrolment records to establish the advocate’s identity as the operator of the account.
Ex Parte Proceedings
Despite repeated notices issued since April, the advocate neither appeared before the council nor filed any reply. Instead, inflammatory content continued to be posted during the pendency of the proceedings. As a result, the matter was decided ex parte.
The committee found the advocate guilty of professional misconduct, observing that the behaviour violated the Bar Council of India’s Rules, particularly the duties of an advocate towards the court.
Observations of the Council
“Fair criticism is allowed but unsubstantiated attacks on social media cross into misconduct,” the committee noted. It further stressed that the integrity of the legal profession rests on both the public and private conduct of its members.
Quoting its findings, the order stated:
“Any conduct which in any way renders a man unfit to exercise his profession or is likely to hamper or embarrass the administration of the justice by the High Court or any of the subordinate thereto, may be considered to be misconduct calling for disciplinary action.”
The Bar Council has barred the advocate from practising law for a period of two years with immediate effect and cautioned against repeating such conduct in the future.
