LI Network
Published on: 22 August 2023 at 11:41 IST
The Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) has officially communicated its withdrawal of the notification that previously mandated the submission of Aadhaar and Voter Identity Cards with a Delhi-NCR address for enrollment.
This decision was conveyed to the Delhi High Court on 21.08.2023.
The order to withdraw the requirement came from a bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula. The bench directed the Bar Council of Delhi to promptly notify this reversal within a span of four weeks.
The court’s attention was drawn to this matter through a petition submitted by Advocate Rajani Kumari from Delhi University, Kumari challenged the BCD’s notification on the grounds of its perceived arbitrariness and discrimination.
The contentious notification, dated April 13, had stipulated that lawyers intending to seek enrolment with the Bar Council of Delhi must furn
ish their Aadhaar and Voter ID cards. Notably, these cards had to reflect either a Delhi or NCR (National Capital Region) address as proof of residence.
Furthermore, the requirement extended to fresh law graduates aspiring to pursue legal practice in the national capital. They were required to compulsorily attach copies of their Aadhaar and Voter ID cards, indicating a Delhi/NCR address.
The notification underscored that any future enrolments would be subject to the submission of these specified documents.
The petition presented before the High Court by Advocates Lalit Kumar, Shashank Upadhyay, and Mukesh contended that the BCD’s decision would inadvertently disadvantage law graduates arriving in Delhi from diverse parts of the country in search of better opportunities for their legal careers. This, in turn, prompted the court’s intervention.
The court’s subsequent order to rescind the mandatory Aadhaar and Voter ID requirement for enrolment was based on the grounds that such a mandate could be deemed burdensome, arbitrary, and potentially discriminatory.
By reversing this decision, the BCD aims to create a more inclusive and accessible environment for aspiring legal professionals, regardless of their place of origin within the country.