In a reprieve to 5,970 advocates suspended from practice due to non-payment of subscription fees to the Advocates Welfare Fund, the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has agreed to keep the suspension order in abeyance for two weeks.
However, coming down heavily on the defaulting advocates and the Madras High Court Advocates Association for challenging the suspension order instead of clearing the pending fees, a division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and R Pongiappan said Tuesday, "If you cannot even pay the fee which comes around Rs 3,000, what is the point in practising?"