Rajasthan HC adjourns matter after lawyer appears in vest during hearing via video conference

In what could be called as a sheer violation of the Bar Council of India (BCI) rules made mandatory for lawyers representing themselves during hearings with respect to dress codes, a lawyer from Rajasthan, was "bizarrely" found wearing 'banyan' (vest) during a hearing through video conferencing before the Rajasthan High Court.

"The incident is sad and unfortunate. The incident is a complete violation of the BCI (Bar Council of India) Rules, which is derived from Section 49 of Advocates Act, 1961," former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) and senior Supreme Court lawyer KC Kaushik told .

Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma of the Rajasthan High Court was forced to adjourn the matter and reminded the lawyer, Ravindra Kumar Paliwal, appearing for a petitioner in a case, to maintain the decorum of the court and respect the provision of Advocates Act by wearing proper uniform in pleading a case.

Paliwal, was arguing and appearing for his client, (petitioner) Lalaram, before the Rajasthan High Court, in which the judges had taken strong observation against him wearing a vest.

The Rajasthan High Court had said that the counsel for the petitioner was contacted through video conferencing and he was found to be wearing a vest.

It further stated that the court has already observed that during the coronavirus pandemic, where the court functioning is being done through video conferencing, lawyers must appear in proper uniform.

Even through video conferencing, the decorum of the court is required to be maintained. The Advocates Act, provides for lawyers to wear proper uniform while pleading cases for their clients, the Rajasthan High Court had recently said, while hearing a matter through video conferencing.

"Keeping in view that the petitioner's counsel was not in proper uniform, the matter is adjourned," Justice Sharma said.

( With inputs from ANI )