In a recent notice issued by the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi have been informed about crucial updates regarding the verification of their certificates and place of practice.
The notice, citing Rule 5 of the Bar Council of India Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015, along with the Gazette Notification for the Amendment of Rule 32 dated 23.06.2023, emphasizes that advocates must hold a valid Certificate of Practice under Rule 8.1. & 8.2 to engage in legal practice.
The notice stipulated that “an advocate is not entitled to practice law unless he holds a valid Certificate of Practice as per Rule 8.1. & 8.2. It is also clarified that as per Rule 9.1 of Bar Council of India Certificate and Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015, the same is liable to be verified every five years.”
In light of these regulatory provisions, the BCD has taken a proactive step by introducing a digital Verification Form, known as ‘FORM-A,’ in accordance with the Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015 of the Bar Council of India. This form is mandatory for all advocates enrolled from 01.01.1990 onwards. Advocates-on-Record of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and designated Senior Advocates are exempted under Rule 5(a) of the Notification dated 12.01.2015. Instead, they are required to fill out a separate form, ‘FORM-E,’ as specified in the rules.
This verification initiative aligns with the forthcoming general election for the next term of the BCD. All advocate colleagues are urged to submit the necessary verification forms, as they play a crucial role in preparing the electoral roll. Advocates enrolled before 01.01.1990 will have a separate declaration form, details of which will be communicated through a subsequent notification.
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