What is the legal sanctity of Advocate stickers? Madras High Court asks

In view of the reportedly wide misuse of Advocate stickers on vehicles to evade the law, the Madras High Court on Tuesday again mused on why the use of such stickers should not be given up altogether.."If widely it has been misused, why we have to stick on to that? … It (misuse) will reflect on the profession... after knowing there is a security of using advocates' sticker, people are using ... (thinking that) by becoming advocates we can escape law, all are becoming lawyers", the Court orally observed. .When widely it is misused, and it is reflecting bad on the profession - why not the Bar Council give up on this (Advocate stickers)?Madras High Court (oral remark).What is the legal sanctity of the Advocate Sticker?.Dealing with a petition alleging the misuse of advocate stickers by law students, the Bench of Justices N Kurubakaran and B Pugalendhi today also queried after the legal sanctity of such stickers (Ramesh v. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Ambedkar Law University). ."First, what is the legal sanctity of the sticker? Where is the provision? Is the power derived from any rule or statute?" Justice Kirubakaran asked. .Why shouldn't Advocate stickers be banned if being misused for criminal activities? Madras High Court asks.During the hearing today, the counsel appearing for the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry informed the High Court that a resolution has been passed recently to prohibit the misuse of the sticker, which has been circulated to relevant police authorities. .A suggestion was also made that bar associations should mandate that lawyers only purchase the advocate sticker from the Bar Council. This way, the police may be able to catch unauthorised stickers, it was submitted. The Bench, however, expressed skepticism over how far the measure may prove effective, given that Advocate stickers may be easily fabricated. ."People are fabricating calling letter and NEET card. It is not very difficult... Everything is fabricated. When NEET mark sheet is fabricated and call letter is also fabricated, anything is possible", the Court remarked. .Advocate Stickers needed to secure parking at courts.A submission was made during the hearing that Advocate stickers were required also to ensure that non-lawyers do not takeover the limited parking space at Court premises. .The Bench, however, retorted that it is not possible for any layman to walk into the High Court just like that. If there is any suspicion, the Bar Council ID can be demanded, the Court pointed out. .The Court proceeded to take critical note that some lawyers resist when they are asked to show their Bar Council ID."You people (act like you) are Presidents of America. Even if police asks, you say 'who are you? This is our court'", the Bench commented, adding that such an attitude only encourages errant lawyers.."If police asks, and you show ID card there will not be any problem. But your ego is touched, you won’t show the card", the Court said. .A counsel submitted that there may be cases where a lawyer in a hurry may not have the time to show his ID. "Suppose they are in urgency, you may not be able to ask such things", he pointed out. .The Court was, however, not impressed. "We’ve been hearing these things for a long time ... Can you give assurance if police man comes and asks, you will show it (ID card?)", it asked. .Before parting with the matter today, however, the Bench has issued directions so that the Madurai High Court registry may be approached so that parking lots can be assigned to enrolled lawyers in the same manner as it is being done at the principal Bench of the High Court at Chennai..Lawyers should command respect, not demand it.Lawyers have not claimed that they are a privileged class, another counsel weighed in after seeking the Court's permission to speak. Stickers are required for identification purposes and for parking purposes, he added.."That is being misused. Even taxis are using it", the Court countered..The counsel urged the Court to grant some time so that a system may be set up to ensure that only the Bar Council issues the stickers. Those who misuse the sticker may be punished for impersonation, he added. .He further submitted that though several complaints are made over the misuse of stickers, which are also found pasted on lorries and ambulances, the police has failed to act. .The Court, however, observed that this is not surprising given the friction between lawyers and the police. The Bench added, "We are not justifying it, (but) our conduct should be very honourable. We (lawyers) should command respect, not demand respect. It used to be a noble profession. Now we are searching for nobility in the profession, we couldn’t find it.".The hearing also saw the Bench add,"... 1,800 law colleges and 5 lakh law graduates are coming out and purchasing law degrees. This is not everybody... But there are law colleges selling ... where there is no necessity to write or pass exams - everything is in packages…You know, goondas have become lawyers."."Day by day we are losing nobility", the lawyer admitted, although he asserted that the fault is mutual (on both the police and lawyers)..The matter has been posted for further hearing on Tuesday. The Bench added that written arguments may also be filed in the matter. A response filed by the DGP was taken on record.