In order to streamline the process of verification of advocates, the Supreme Court on Monday constituted a high-powered Committee to oversee the process of verification of the degree certificates of advocates, directing it to file a status report by August 31.
The Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice J.B. Pardiwala observed that due verification of Advocates registered with the State Bar Councils was of utmost importance to safeguard the integrity of administration of justice.
The Apex Court ruled that the Committee will comprise former Supreme Court judge Justice B.S. Chauhan and Senior Advocates Rakesh Dwivedi and Maninder Singh. The Bar Council of India will also nominate three members to the Committee. Besides, it will also include two High Court judges, adde the Apex Court.
The top court of the country observed that every genuine advocate of the country should cooperate with the Bar Council of India in verification of practice certificates, along with the underlying education degree certificate.
It warned that there was a great danger of the administration of justice itself being under a serious cloud, until this exercise was carried out periodically.
The access to judicial process could not be granted to the persons professing to be lawyers but not having genuine educational qualifications or degree certificates, said the Supreme Court.
Taking in view the difficulty faced by lawyers due to the charges sought by the varsities to verify their degree certificates, the top court of the country ruled that all universities and exam boards should verify the genuineness of degrees without charging fees and requisition by State Bar Councils shall be processed without undue delay.