PM Expresses Concern over Pendency of Cases in Trial Courts
PM Expresses Concern over Pendency of Cases in Trial Courts
CJI calls for Ethics and Etiquette in Legal Profession
Law Minister urges Lawyers to Keep Pace with Globalisation
Bar Council of India
Chairman M K Mishra Highlights Achievements
New Delhi, Feb 16: Expressing grave
concern over the huge pendency of cases in trial courts, Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh today urged the legal fraternity to pool their expertise,
knowledge and wisdom to devise ways and means to resolve the problem, even as
the Chief Justice, Law Minister and others called for deep introspection within
the profession.
Inaugurating the Golden Jubilee
celebrations of the Bar Council of India (BCI) at the Vigyan Bhavan here, Dr
Singh said,“an obvious area of concern is the large number of cases pending in
courts especially in trial courts. I would urge the whole of the legal
fraternity to pool their knowledge, wisdom and experience to find ways and
means to tackle this problem.”
He said it was
of critical importance that the Bench and the Bar worked together in ensuring
the rule of law in the country and in furthering the Constitutional objectives.
“Unless this happens, we cannot succeed substantially in providing speedy and
affordable justice to millions of our country men, especially those who belong
to the poor and weaker sections of our society. There are many challenges to be
overcome and many bottlenecks to be removed before this objective of ours
becomes a reality. “
Lauding the Bar
Council for actively working to promote the highest standards in legal
education, “comparable to the best in the world”, Dr Singh said, “Clearly, the
work of the Bar Council of India and that of the State Bar Councils have an
implication for the public at large. This is because the effectiveness of
the Bar Councils in performing their duties and functions is a factor in
determining the strength and quality of our justice delivery system.
If advocates
maintain high standards of professional conduct at all times, it serves the
interests of the litigating public. Similarly a high standard of
professional knowledge of legal luminaries serves to improve the quality of
judicial decisions.”
Reminding the
lawyers that apart from their duty towards clients, they perform a public duty
as officers of the court in furtherance of the cause of justice, he said, “They
should always keep in view the larger objective of advancement of public
morality, truth and justice in their wider connotation. It is for this reason
that the practice of law has a public utility flavor and an inbuilt element of
public service. This exalted status enjoins upon lawyers to scrupulously
abide by the Code of Conduct prescribed by the Bar Council”.
Pointing out
that the National Legal Services Authority has formulated a number of schemes
to provide “access to justice” to the marginalized people including free legal
aid to under-trial prisoners and for supporting the implementation of the
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Prime Minister
urged the legal fraternity at various levels to become active participants and
facilitators in the implementation of these schemes intended to empower the
disadvantaged.
Asserting that
he was fully aware of the responsibilities of the Government in working with
the Judiciary and other stake holders to build a strong and effective justice delivery
system, he said, “I reaffirm our Government's commitment to take all necessary
action in this direction, and also to work for the welfare of the legal
fraternity.”
Wishing the Bar
Council of India and all its members a very bright professional future, he
said, “You have served the country well over the last fifty years and I believe
that the best is yet to come.”
In his Presidential address,
Chief Justice of India, Mr Justice Altamas Kabir, emphasized on the importance
of ethics and etiquette in the legal fraternity.
He pointed out that Chapter 2,
Part 6 of the Bar Council Rules specifically focused on the standard of professional conduct and
etiquette and the Golden Jubilee of the BCI was the right occasion to ponder
over “how we have been able to maintain ourselves”.
Citing from his personal
experiences as a young lawyer, he said, “etiquette, manners and ethics can make
a world of difference”.
Expressing concern that lawyers
were not fully or adequately read, the Chief Justice said these weaknesses need
to be rectified”.
He urged the BCI to work towards
sensitizing lawyers, taking care of legal education including revising the
curriculum, betterment of the profession for consumers of justice and to “try
and make justice accessible to citizens, wherever he or she may be”.
In his thought provoking address,
Union Minister for Law and Justice Dr Ashwani Kumar, exhorted the legal
fraternity to set the highest standards and lend a helping hand to the
disadvantaged and the deprived. And to engages in actions that “enhances our
dignity and that of the profession”.
He said law imparting
institutions should constantly upgrade the curriculum content. “Lawyers must
keep pace with the process of globalization, he said listing IT, IPR,
Regulatory mechanisms, international trade etc among the new horizons of law.
In his address, Attorney General
G E Vahanvati, said that lawyers were the backbone of the judicial system.
Maintaining that Section 16 of the Advocates Act did not distinguish between
lawyers practicing in lower courts and higher courts, he said hard working
lawyers from the lower courts can also be designated as Senior Advocates. “Why
not acknowledge the outstanding lawyers who are equally good, if not better”,
he asked to thunderous applause from the audience.
Calling for positive
introspection, he said it was important to distinguish between acceptability
and respectability.
In his welcome address, Chairman
of the Bar Council of India, Mr Manan Kumar Mishra, highlighted the problems
faced by lawyers including insurance cover, stipend for young students and
legal aid.
Pointing out that BCI played a
key role in bringing about the five year law course while the National Law
School in Bangalore was its brainchild, he said the
courses have become more popular than those of IITs and IIMs.
He informed the distinguished
audience that the Bar Council was working towards creation of law academies in
different states for the purpose of continuing legal education and entering
into MoUs with different international; institutions.
Mr Mishra also presented a
memento to the Prime Minister on the occasion.
Last evening, the Union Law
Minister had unveiled a Golden Jubilee plaque at the BCI headquarters here.
Hon’ble Judges from the Supreme Court and various High Courts,
Vice-Chancellors of several Universities, Union Ministers, Advocates General,
Senior Advocates, Law officers of the Central and state Governments, Bar
Council office bearers from different states and well known jurists and academics
are attending the the two day Golden Jubilee celebrations of the BCI..
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit would be the Chief Guest at the
valedictory function on Sunday, February 17, 2013 while Union Minister of Road
Transport and Highways Dr C P Joshi and Mr. Ramakant Goswami, Minister of Law,
Justice and Legislative Affairs, Government of NCT Delhi, would be the
distinguished and special guests respectively,
Eminent legal and political personalities including Leader of
Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mr Arun Jaitley, Union Commerce Minister Mr Anand
Sharma, Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Mr Vayalar Ravi, Minister of
State in the Prime Minister’s Office Mr V Narayanswamy, Dr Abhishek Manu
Singhvi, MP, Former Union Law and Justice Minister Mr Ram Jethmalani and former
Union Minister Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad are taking part in the working sessions
on both days.
Judicial Delays and Access to Justice, Globalisation and its impact on
Legal Profession, Role of Lawyers for Speedy Justice System, Revisiting the
image of the Indian Bar as the ‘judge of the judges’, Professional Ethics,
Issues and Challenges, Constitutionalism, Judicial Process and Access to
Justice, Role of Media in Legal and Judicial Procedures, are among the major
topics to be discussed by experts from India and abroad during the
deliberations.
Issues concerning the bar such as Developing a Bar for Rural Legal
Services, Continuing Legal Education Training, Knowledge and Skills
Development, Advocates’ Welfare Measurements, Introduction of Pension Scheme,
Junior Lawyers’ Stipend etc would also figure prominently in the discussions.
On the occasion of its Golden Jubilee, BCI would also deliberate on
subjects such as Responsibility of Bar Council of India in Legal Research and
Law Reform and A Progressive Role of Bar Council of India in setting
complementary Educational programmes for strengthening the professional
knowledge and skills of legal professionals.
S
Prabhakaran Devdutt
Chakravarty
Spokesperson
Media Coordinator
Bar Council of India
Mob.: 09015959739
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