Bar associations restraining lawyers from defending accused is contempt of court: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India observed on Monday that bar associations passing resolutions restraining lawyers from defending accused persons, amounts to contempt of court..A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala took strong objection to the action of Bharatpur Bar Association suspending the license of three lawyers who had been appointed as legal aid defense counsel by the district legal aid services authority.“Bar Associations passing a resolution that lawyers will not represent an accused is nothing but criminal contempt. Bar associations cannot pass such resolutions. Reason why lawyers say no one should appear for defense is nothing but criminal contempt,” the bench emphasized.The Court was hearing a plea by advocate Vishal Tiwari challenging suspension of license of three lawyers. .It summoned the officers bearers of the Bar Association of Bharatpur to personally remain present in court and explain their action of suspending license of the lawyers..The legal aid services authority had introduced a ‘Legal Aid Defence Counsel Scheme' for Bharatpur district. As per the scheme, lawyers are to be engaged full time to exclusively work to provide legal aid to persons accused or convicted of crimes. When the recruitment process for the scheme was initiated, the lawyers in Bharatpur protested against the scheme. The petitioners, advocates Purnaprakash Sharma, Puneet Garg and Madhavendra Singh, however, continued working under the scheme and did not participate in the protest. In view of this, the petitioners were issued show cause notice for opposing and weakening the movement. When they did not budge, they were suspended for not falling in line..The petitioners approached the Supreme Court seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against office bearers of the bar association. They claimed that their work was being obstructed by the association. The same bench had in April this year stayed the suspension letter issued by the bar association.