The Supreme Court of India, addressing a staggering concern within the legal fraternity, has called for an urgent resolution to the issue of fake advocates, which has plagued the system for nearly a decade. With an estimated 1.5 million advocates across the country, shocking revelations suggest that up to 20% of them may be practicing without valid legal qualifications.
During a hearing on Thursday, the bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, alongside Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan, expressed deep concerns over the prolonged verification process initiated by the Bar Council of India (BCI) in 2015. The urgency of the matter was underscored by a statement made back then by BCI Chief Manan Mishra, who alarmed the judiciary and legal professionals with his announcement about the prevalence of unqualified practitioners.
The Supreme Court criticized the slow pace of the verification drive, emphasizing that it “cannot be an endless process” and insisted on a definitive timeline. Responding to the court’s directives, BCI counsel and advocate R Balasubramanian described the verification as a meticulous and state-wise endeavor, which has contributed to the delays.
However, recent findings from the ongoing drive have been alarming, with reports indicating the discovery of over 1,000 fake lawyers each in Delhi and Punjab. In a particularly startling disclosure, the Bar Council of Delhi found 117 advocates with fraudulent credentials, a significant majority of whom had submitted bogus degrees from Bundelkhand University.
The Supreme Court has now mandated the BCI to submit a comprehensive status report within eight weeks, emphasizing the necessity to expedite this critical verification process to safeguard the integrity of the legal profession and protect the interests of litigants deceived by these fraudulent practices.
