Kochi, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Kerala High Court has directed the Bar Council of Kerala to publish the names of 1,157 advocates enrolled between 2010 and 2021 who have not cleared the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) and were found to be practising without a valid Certificate of Practice (CoP).
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar ordered the complete list to be published on the websites of both the Bar Council of Kerala and the Kerala High Court.
The Bench also directed court Registries not to register any case in which an advocate named on the list files a vakalatnama. Where such an advocate has already filed a vakalatnama, the concerned Registry must make an appropriate endorsement on the case file so that the Bench hearing the matter is aware of the advocate’s status.
The Registrar (District Judiciary) has been directed to circulate the list to all District Courts in Kerala.
The court, however, clarified that advocates whose names appear on the list can seek their removal if they have subsequently obtained a valid Certificate of Practice. They will have to submit an authenticated copy of the certificate for the purpose.
The directions came in a public interest litigation concerning advocates allegedly practising without fulfilling the statutory requirements for legal practice.
The petitioner had initially approached the Bar Council after discovering during a matrimonial dispute before a family court that the advocate representing the opposite party had allegedly failed the AIBE and did not possess a valid CoP.
An RTI application filed by the petitioner with the Bar Council subsequently confirmed the status of that advocate. The petitioner then sought information regarding the AIBE status of advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Kerala.
In May this year, the Bar Council provided a list of advocates enrolled between July 2010 and December 2021 who had not cleared the AIBE or obtained a CoP.
The petitioner thereafter approached the High Court, alleging that effective action had not been taken despite the disclosure. The PIL sought enforcement of the relevant provisions of the Advocates Act, 1961, including action against advocates practising without the required qualifications.
The High Court’s latest order requires the Bar Council to make the list public and undertake follow-up action in accordance with applicable rules.
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