The Madras High Court today stayed parts of a single judge's order directing the Centre to consider positively entrusting the functions of the Bar Council of India to an expert body.
A bench, comprising Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T S Sivagnanam, granted the stay on the operation of certain portions of Justice N Kirubakaran's October 6 interim order in which he had made 14 suggestions including handing over the functions of BCI to an expert body headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and abolition of three-year law course.
The single judge had passed the order on a petition by one S M Anantha Murugan seeking a direction to prevent intrusion of legal profession by persons having criminal antecedents without studying Bachelor of Law Degree.
Passing orders on an appeal against the single judge's directions, the division bench said statutory provisions could not be diluted in collateral proceedings and such directions would not be appropriate.
The judges said the BCI had already recommended to the state governments not to increase intake in law courses for the next three years.
It also pointed out that there were several petitions and PIL pending before various courts highlighting various aspects discussed in the single judge order.
