The Allahabad High Court while disposing the petition directed the Bar Council Of India to take action against the persons hosting websites which offer online law courses without the approval of BCI.
The Division Bench Acting Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh passed this order while hearing a PIL filed by Shrey Singh.
In this petition, the grievance of the petitioner is against certain courses being run by private respondents which are not authorized by the governing bodies. An example has been given of certain law courses run by these respondents through on-line mode, as may never be authorized or approved by the Bar Council of India.
Upon hearing counsel for the petitioner, the facts, if true, may warrant some action by the appropriate authority. At present the petition appears to be pre-mature inasmuch no verification of facts or preliminary enquiry has been made by the Bar Council of India, the Court observed.
Therefore, the Court disposed of the petition with the direction that in case petitioner files a proper application before respondent no 6 disclosing details of all such entities and courses being run by them, as are not authorized by the Bar Council, it shall examine the matter threadbare and make appropriate recommendation to the Union of India to ensure appropriate action to shut down fraudulent websites etc and or such courses, as also to initiate appropriate action against the persons hosting such websites and running such courses, as may be warranted.
“It is further expected that the Bar Council of India shall complete the exercise within a period of three months from the date a copy of this order is served upon it”, the order reads.