Push UOI To Shut Down Websites Offering Online Law Courses Sans BCI’s Approval, Take Action Against Erring Persons: Allahabad HC To BCI

The bench of Chief Justice (Designate) Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh also asked the BCI to make appropriate recommendations to the Union of India to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to shut down such fraudulent websites.

The bench was essentially dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea filed by one Shrey Singh who had moved the Court complaining about certain websites offering courses without the authorization of the governing bodies

The PIL plea also gave an example of certain law courses run by these respondents through on-line mode, as may never be authorized or approved by the Bar Council of India.

Upon hearing the counsel for the petitioner, the Court opined that the facts, if true, may warrant some action by the appropriate authority, however, it added that at present, the petition was pre-mature inasmuch no verification of facts or preliminary enquiry had been made by the Bar Council of India.

In view of this, the Court disposed of the plea with the following direction to the BCI:

“…in case petitioner files a proper application before it disclosing details of all such entities and courses being run by them, as are not authorized by the Bar Council, it shall examine the matter threadbare and make appropriate recommendation to the Union of India to ensure appropriate action to shut down fraudulent websites etc. and or such courses, as also to initiate appropriate action against the persons hosting such websites and running such courses, as may be warranted.”

The bench also expected that the BCI shall complete the exercise within a period of three months.

Appearances

Counsel for Petitioner: Anand Prakash Paul, Brij Bhushan Paul, In person

Counsel for Respondent: A.S.G.I., C.S.C., Dhananjay Awasthi, Manoj Kumar Singh

Case title - Shrey Singh vs. Union Of India And 9 Others [PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION (PIL) No. - 13 of 2021]

Case citation: 2023 LiveLaw (AB) 107

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