Accusing certain bureaucrats of trying to encroach upon power conferred upon it to regulate legal profession in the country, the Bar Council of India has sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, BCI chief Manan Kumar Mishra has alleged that some bureaucrats in the Law and the Commerce ministries are "trying to make useless efforts to encroach upon the powers and functions statutorily granted to the BCI...These attempts may lead to strong protest by the lawyers."
He was referring to the draft rules prepared by the Council on entry of foreign law firms in the country, which he claimed were not to the satisfaction of some bureaucrats.
The UK and the US have been pushing successive governments in the country to open up the legal sector to foreign firms but a decision in this regard could not be taken.
The government is of the view that the legal sector would be opened up to foreign law firms in a phased manner which would also help the Indian legal fraternity.
The view within the government is that once the foreign firms open offices in India, they would be hiring local legal brains to appear before courts.
The Commerce Ministry is also keen on this step as it would help in the government's policy of 'ease of doing business' in India.
The government is of the view that offices of foreign legal firms in India will help government departments in hiring services of international legal experts in arbitration cases.
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