Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry suspends 5970 Advocates for failure to pay Welfare Subscription

The Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has suspended 5970 advocates over non-payment of subscription dues meant for the Advocates’ Welfare Fund. A notification to this effect was issued on Friday..As per this notification, the Advocates named in the notification are not allowed to practice in any court, Tribunal or other authority till the payment of the subscription dues. It states,.“It is hereby informed that the Advocates Welfare Fund (BCI)committee has suspended the right of practice of 5970 Advocates in any court, Tribunal or other authority till the payment of subscription under Rule 40, Part VI Chapter II of the Bar Council of India Rules vide resolution No, 242/2019 dated 21.03.2019.”.The subscription dues are leviable under Rule 40, Part VI, Chapter II of the Bar Council of India (BCI) Rules. As per this provision, Advocates are expected to make payments to the State Bar Council at prescribed intervals. These funds are meant to be used for welfare activities for Advocates. To this end, the funds collected are credited to the Bar Council of India Advocates’ Welfare Fund. 20% of the amount collected is to be remitted to the BCI every month. These funds form the BCI Advocate’s Welfare Fund. .The remaining 80% is to be used by the State Bar Council authorities towards welfare activities of the advocates in the state. The fund will be administered by the Advocates’ Welfare Committee of the state, which is also expected to submit an annual report on the fund administration to the BCI..For failure to pay these dues, the State Bar Council Secretary is to first issue notice to the errant Advocates. If the Advocate does not pay thereafter, the State authorities are empowered to suspend him from practice. .In January this year, the Tamil Nadu Bar Council had issued a final warning in the matter. This notification had cautioned that the Advocates who failed to clear their dues by February 5 would face suspension without further notice. Accordingly, the latest notification has now suspended over 5000 advocates said to have failed in clearing their dues, despite notice..Read the notification: