Report No. 266

27. Amendment of section 49.

In sub-section (1) of section 49 of the Advocates Act,-

(i) after the words "State Bar Council", wherever they occur, the words "and the Supreme Court Bar Association" shall be inserted;

(ii) for clause (af), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-

"(af) the minimum qualifications and other eligibility including age required for admission to a course of degree of law in any recognised university;"

(iii) for clause (d), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-

"(d) the standards of legal education to be observed by Universities and institutions imparting legal education in India; and for that purpose the manner of inspection, and the fees relating thereto keeping in view the budgetary provisions of universities and institutions imparting legal education, and the term and conditions for approval of the courses;

(iv) after clause (i), the following clauses shall be inserted, namely:-

"(ia) the manner in which the State Bar Council may exercise supervision and control over Bar Associations except the Supreme Court Bar Association, Association of law firms and foreign lawyers, situated within its territorial jurisdiction and the manner in which the directions issued or orders passed by the State Bar Council may be enforced;

(ib) to provide for continuing legal education for advocates and its monitoring;

(ic) to make rules to register and regulate the law firms including such firms operating in more than one State;

(id) to register and regulate Bar Associations;

(ie) for rendering of legal services and spreading legal literacy;

(if) regulation of the Supreme Court Bar Association in consultation with the President of the Bar Association and for regulation of Associations of law firms and foreign lawyers;

(ig) to prepare and carry out welfare schemes for advocates in practice.".