[COVID19] Lawyers Dress Code: SC Exempts Advocates From Wearing Heavy Clothing Not Frequently Washable During VC Hearings [Read Circular]

In furtherance of dress-code relaxations, the Supreme Court has exempted advocates from wearing "heavy clothing" while appearing before court in Virtual hearings.

The Circular which has been released under the hand of Secretary General states that Advocates may not wear clothes which are not "frequently washable" and that they "may wear the dress as prescribed under the Bar Council of India Rules with plain white band, ensuring proper decorum before the Virtual Courts"

".....it is notified for the information of all concerned that considering the request made in this behalf, the Competent Authority has been pleased to exempt the Advocates from wearing heavy upper body clothings like coat, chapkan, achkan, sherwani, gown and jacket (and such other heavy items which are not washable daily/frequently)" - Supreme Court 

Last week, as precautionary measure to contain the spread of the Coronavirus infection, Supreme Court relaxed the dress code for Advocates appearing before it through video conferencing.

Through a circular issued by the Secretary General, it was intimated that "advocates may wear "plain white-shirt/white-salwar-kameez/ white saree, with a plainwhite neck band" during the hearings before the Supreme Court of India through Virtual Court System till medical exigencies exist or until further orders."

Following the Supreme Court's circular on Wednesday relaxing lawyer's dress code dispensing with Gown and robes, the Bar Council of India (BCI) also issued an Administrative Order reiterating that the same for Advocates throughout the country on May 14.

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