Bhubaneswar: Keeping in view several lawyers in the state are not practicing law and instead are engaged in other activities, the Odisha State Bar Council (OSBC) has asked these lawyers to surrender their licences within a month. The bar council, in a statement issued Friday, said that it was found that some lawyers are engaged in other activities, including business activities and also hold offices of profit after getting licences to practise law.
The OSBC also said that disciplinary action would be taken against those non-practising lawyers who fail to surrender their licences within a month. The direction comes after allegations came to the fore that some law graduates are doing jobs in private companies and government entities, and are also engaged in business activities after securing licences to practise law. This is a clear violation of the norms prescribed under the Advocates Act, 1961, said the statement.
The OSBC, in a resolution passed April 12 this year, has decided to initiate disciplinary action against such non-practising lawyers. The council has asked all bar associations in the state to take action against these non-practising lawyers if they fail to surrender their licences within a month.
