Non-member lawyers cannot be denied entry to Bar Room, says Bombay HC

While disposing a PIL filed by the Bombay Lawyer’s Association, Justice Oka made a number of observations on the state of the legal profession. The court was hearing a PIL seeking Bar rooms, libraries and other infrastructure for lawyers across all courts in Maharashtra..Filed by the Bombay Lawyer’s Association, the PIL also saw intervention applications filed by lawyers Ranjan Rajgor, and SM Kamtam. Lawyer Satyaprakash Sharma appeared for the BLA today..Speaking to Bar & Bench, Rajgor said that she filed the intervention application after being asked to vacate her seat in the Bar room in the Bombay High Court..The reason for this, says Rajgor, is the fact that she is not a member of the Advocates Association of Western India..Rajgor’s intervention application reads,.“Intervener states that she has been told by many advocates colleagues of her that they have also faced same situation but do not like to plaint or indulge in controversy against influensive members of bar room who can occupy reserve their sits of bar room in their absence also.”.Today, Justice Oka held that no lawyer can be denied entry into a bar room just because she is not a member of the concerned bar association. However, the judge also said that libraries require money for maintenance and books, and hence no lawyer can claim access to all such libraries across the country..The judge also said that instead of intervening in this matter, the lawyers should try and get funds released to help litigants. Giving the examples of lack of drinking water and electric supply in some district courts, Justice Oka said that lawyers would be better off trying to alleviate the plight of litigants in such courts..Eventually disposing the petition, Justice Oka said that in case there were any specific instances of lawyers being denied entry in a Bar room, the lawyers were free to raise the same before the appropriate authority.