Karnataka HC directs State Bar Council to create digital system to identify advocates practising illegally without clearing AIBE

The High Court of Karnataka has mandated the State Bar Council to develop a digital system for identifying advocates who are practicing illegally without clearing the mandatory All India Bar Examination (AIBE). This directive comes after the court dismissed a petition raised by M. Prasanna Kumar, who had challenged a 2019 court order directing the police to investigate allegations of cheating litigants and courts due to unauthorized legal practice.

The court emphasized that practicing as an advocate without clearing the AIBE is an offense against society. The State Bar Council is now tasked with creating a digital record of enrolment dates and the expiration date for clearing the AIBE, as per the Bar Council of India's rules. The court ordered the KSBC to establish a mechanism to track those who enrolled but failed to clear the examination within two years and to generate a list of advocates whose enrolment was automatically suspended.

Additionally, the court directed the KSBC to integrate a system for verifying AIBE results with the Bar Council of India and to provide advocates the chance to explain any discrepancies before taking any disciplinary action. The KSBC has been given 45 days to implement this new system.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Hindu's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.