On January 31, the Supreme Court of India issued notices to the Centre, the Bar Council of India (BCI), and others regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the creation of a bar council in Jammu & Kashmir.
The bench, led by Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, took into consideration the arguments presented by senior advocate Javid Shaikh, representing the Kashmir Advocates Association. The court directed notices to the Centre, BCI, and the Registrar General of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
A state bar council is a legal body that governs the enrolment of law graduates as practicing lawyers and oversees legal practice within the state. Shaikh, supported by advocate Adil Muneer Andrabi, emphasized the urgency for a bar council in Jammu and Kashmir, requesting interim relief, particularly for the issuance of welfare stamps on pleadings—stamps typically authorized by a bar council.
In the absence of such a council, the high court currently handles these responsibilities. However, the bench clarified that no interim orders could be made at this stage, with the process set to continue as is. The hearing was adjourned for four weeks.
