Act amended: Unruly lawyers to face the music

As per the notification issued by the Madras High Court, Registrar General T Ravindran, the High Court now has the power to debar an advocate, who is found to have accepted money in the name of a Judge or on the pretext of influencing him; or an advocate who is found to have tampered with the Court record or Court order; or an advocate who browbeats and/or abuses a judge or judicial officer; or an advocate who is found to have sent or spread unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations/petitions against a judicial officer or a judge to the superior court. 

The notification also spells out action on an advocate who participates in a procession inside the court campus and/or involves in gherao inside the court hall or holds placard inside the court hall; or an advocate who appears in the court under the influence of liquor. 

For misconduct of such kind, the advocates involved shall be debarred from appearing before the High Court or subordinate courts or for such period as the court may think fit and the Registrar General shall thereupon report the said fact to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu. 

Similarly, for a misconduct by an advocate before the court of principal district judge, the principal district judge shall have the power to initiate action against the advocate concerned and debar him from appearing before any court within such district. Also, in the event of the offence happening before any subordinate court, the court concerned shall submit a report to the principal district court within whose jurisdiction it is situated and on receipt of such report, the principal district judge shall have the power to initiate action against the advocate concerned and debar him from appearing before any court within such district.