SC seeks Centre’s response on plea for setting up Bar Council for J&K and Ladakh HC

New Delhi, Jan 31 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the Central Government, seeking its response to a plea for the establishment of a Bar Council for the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.

The petition, filed by the Kashmir Advocates Association, highlighted the absence of a dedicated bar council for the region, compelling lawyers to take membership under the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association.

A Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta directed the Central Government and the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to respond to the plea.

The petition cites Section 3 of the Advocates Act, which provides for the establishment of State Bar Councils, emphasizing that the region’s lawyers currently lack a government-authorized body for enrollment and access to Bar Council benefits, unlike their counterparts in other states.

This is the second such petition filed before the top court. An earlier plea, filed in 2022 by Jammu-based advocate Supriya Pandita, raised similar concerns.

The Supreme Court had issued notice in that matter in July 2022, but the issue remains unresolved.

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