BCI seeks West Bengal Bar Council report on Mamata’s practice status after HC appearance

Hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee appeared in advocate robes in the Calcutta High Court, the Bar Council of India on Thursday asked the West Bengal Bar Council to furnish a detailed report within 48 hours regarding her enrolment and professional practice status. Banerjee, accompanied by senior Trinamool Congress leaders Chandrima Bhattacharya and Kalyan Banerjee, appeared before the High Court to argue a case in connection with alleged post-poll violence and attacks on party offices.

According to prevalent practice, a person, who was holding a constitutional post or gainfully employed, has to get the bar licence suspended during the service and for practising law again, the same has to be revived.

In a letter, the Bar Council of India (BCI) directed the secretary of the West Bengal Bar Council to furnish, within two days complete records relating to Banerjee’s enrolment as an advocate, if any, and her practice status during and after her tenure as chief minister from 2011 to 2026.

The communication, issued by BCI Principal Secretary Sriramanto Sen, stated that the Council had taken note of “various media reports” claiming that Banerjee appeared in court in legal attire, including white advocate bands.

“Mamata Banerjee served as chief minister of West Bengal from 2011 to 2026. Having regard to the constitutional public office held by her during the said period, and without expressing any opinion at this stage on the permissibility or otherwise of such appearance, the Bar Council of India requires the factual status of her enrolment, practice, suspension, if any, and resumption, if any, to be verified from your records,” the communication said. The apex bar body asked the West Bengal Bar Council to furnish Banerjee’s enrolment number and the date of her enrolment with the State Bar Council.

“Whether her name presently continues on the State Roll of Advocates maintained by the State Bar Council of West Bengal,” the BCI asked. It also asked the state bar body whether Banerjee, at any point during her tenure as the chief minister, “given any intimation of voluntary suspension / suspension of practice / cessation from practice”.

“If any such intimation was given, the date on which it was received by the State Bar Council, along with a copy of the relevant application / intimation and order / noting, if any,” it asked.

The BCI has also asked whether any application for resumption of practice was filed subsequently, and whether any valid Certificate of Practice currently exists in her favour.

Additionally, the West Bengal Bar Council has been directed to provide certified copies of all relevant records, including enrolment registers, State roll entries, inward registers, correspondence files, suspension or cessation records, resumption records, and file notings.

The BCI further instructed that all original records connected with the matter be preserved in their present form pending submission of the reply, cautioning against any alteration, overwriting, interpolation or reconstruction except in accordance with law and after due intimation to the Council.