BCI celebrates Golden Jubilee Five law colleges felicitated PM calls for healthy relationship between the Bar and the Bench

The Bar Council of India (BCI) celebrated its Golden Jubilee as the apex regulator of legal profession in India. The celebrations, which lasted for two days, was inaugarated by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Vigyan Bhawan on February 16, 2013..The Bar Council of India (BCI) celebrated its Golden Jubilee as the apex regulator of legal profession in India. The celebrations, which lasted for two days, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Vigyan Bhawan on February 16, 2013..The Chief Justice of India, Altamas Kabir presided over the event while the Union Law and Justice Minister, Ashwani Kumar was the Guest of Honour and Attorney General of India, Goolam E. Vahanvati was the Special Invitee..The Prime Minister, in his speech, stressed upon the “glorious contribution” of the members of the BCI “in the process of nation building”. He stated that it was of critical importance that the Bar and the Bench worked together in ensuring rule of law in the country and in furthering Constitutional objectives. The Prime Minister also urged members of the legal fraternity to become active participants and facilitators in the implementation of schemes formulated by National Legal Services Authority to provide “access to justice” to marginalized people..Eminent legal personalities including Arun Jaitley, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Ram Jethmalani took part in the working sessions held as part of the celebrations. The Supreme Court judges too participated in the celebrations..Ashwani Kumar also unveiled a Golden Jubilee Plaque at the BCI headquarters on Friday, February 15 as part of the celebrations. Speaking on the occasion Kumar said, “we cannot imagine a robust and vibrant democracy without a strong judiciary and a Bar”..The BCI has also resolved to annually encourage 20 private institutions, which have contributed in the field of legal education for more than a decade. The first five institutions felicitated by the BCI at its Golden Jubiee function were Amity Law School, Delhi; Bhartiya Vidyapeeth New Law College, Pune; Indian Law Society, Pune; KLE, Bangalore and Symbiosis Law College, Pune..Commenting on this decision, the BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said, “It is the decision of the BCI based on the performances of the colleges”..“Some of the National Law Schools are doing well. National Law Schools get huge impetus from the state government. So apart from these, we have felicitated some private institutions which have been contributing to legal education”, added Mishra..The remaining 15 law colleges will be felicitated in three phases later this year.