'Unsavoury Incidents Occurring In Court Halls': Kerala High Court Advocates' Association Urges Junior Lawyers, Interns To Follow Dress Code, Maintain Decorum

The Kerala High Court Advocates' Association has released a notice on Wednesday urging junior lawyers and law interns to stick to the dress code prescribed for lawyers by the Bar Council of India and the High Court and to maintain the decorum of the court. 

"This notice is issued to highlight a major issue affecting the decorum and etiquettes to be maintained in Courts. We have established traditions of attire, etiquette and decorum to be maintained in Courts. The Bar Council of India has also published rules prescribing the form of dresses or Robes to be worn by Advocates. The Honourable High Court of Kerala by OM No A1 627/2017 dated 14.02.2018 has also insisted that Law students undergoing internship in Courts should also follow the dress code prescribed by the BCI for Advocates except coat, Bands and gown," reads the notice. 

The Association in its notice has mentioned that several 'unsavoury' incidents had gone down in court halls since the physical hearings resumed due to recently enrolled junior lawyers and law interns not being accustomed to the 'decorum' of the courts. 

"Due to shifting of the Court proceedings to the virtual mode during the pandemic, freshly enrolled junior Advocates and Law interns in the past two years have been unable to get accustomed to these etiquettes and decorum maintained in Courts. This has led to several unsavoury incidents occurring in Court halls and premises since the resumption of physical hearing."

As such, the Association has requested all its members to 'advise' the junior advocates and law interns attached to their office to maintain the decorum and etiquette and to follow the dress code as prescribed by the Bar Council of India and the High Court.

Meanwhile, BCI had recently constituted a five-member committee to hold discussions and conduct deliberations with the bar and the judiciary on the issue of dress code for lawyers after a plea before Allahabad High Court sought a ban on the existing dress code of black coats and robes prescribed for lawyers alleging that this was against the climate conditions of India.