Amid growing unrest over allegations that the Bar Council is failing to discharge its duty to protect the rights of advocates and is instead carrying out illegal disciplinary proceedings, entertaining bogus complaints, pursuing selective action against ordinary lawyers, and permitting attacks on the independence of the Bar through insulting treatment of advocates by some judges—serious concerns are being raised about the autonomy and dignity of the legal profession.
Against this backdrop, the Indian Bar Association (IBA) has officially and firmly extended its support to Adv. Ravi Jadhav, who has taken a principled stand and is leading the fight against such injustice.
In support of advocates’ rights, the largest-ever car and bike rally in history will soon be organised in Mumbai and New Delhi under the leadership of the Indian Bar Association, with participation from lawyers across the country.
The Indian Lawyers and Human Rights Activists’ Association (ILHRAA), the Junior Advocate & Law Students Association of India (JALSAI), as well as the Supreme Court and High Court Litigants Association, have also announced their complete support for this cause.
In this connection, a special meeting was held in which detailed discussions took place with Adv. Ravi Jadhav, President of the Bar Association of Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court. In the said meeting, it was decided to initiate appropriate judicial and legal proceedings against guilty members of the Bar Council. In view of the forthcoming Bar Council elections, this decision is being regarded as extremely significant.
According to the IBA, ordinary and young advocates are being subjected to bogus complaints, unauthorised disciplinary proceedings, and selective punitive action, while influential and powerful individuals are allegedly shielded. Taking exception to this trend, Adv. Ravi Jadhav has been spearheading a sustained legal and organisational fight, which has now received institutional backing.
A special meeting was convened recently, during which detailed discussions were held with Adv. Ravi Jadhav, who is also the President of the Bar Association of the Bombay City Civil and Sessions Court. The meeting resolved to initiate appropriate judicial and legal proceedings against Bar Council members found guilty of illegal and mala fide actions. With Bar Council elections approaching, the development is being viewed as politically and institutionally significant.
₹1 Fee, Self-Funded Legal Battles
What has drawn particular attention within the legal fraternity is the fact that Adv. Ravi Jadhav is representing numerous victimised advocates for a token fee of just ₹1, entirely at his own expense and without any personal gain. Senior members of the Bar have described this as a rare and inspiring example of professional integrity, symbolising a broader struggle for the dignity, self-respect, and constitutional rights of advocates.
Alongside Adv. Jadhav, Adv. Partho Sarkar, Adv. Vijay Kurle, Adv. Nilesh Ojha, and several other senior advocates have been actively providing legal, moral, and organisational support to advocates allegedly targeted by the Bar Council. Their efforts, it was noted, have emboldened many young lawyers to speak up against perceived injustice.
Longstanding Role of the Indian Bar Association
The Indian Bar Association clarified that its support is rooted in its longstanding work to protect justice and advocate rights. For several years, the IBA has been engaged in publishing legal books and guidance manuals, authoring legal awareness articles in Marathi, Hindi, and English, and pursuing legal action against corrupt or abusive practices within the justice system.
The association has also consistently taken a public stand in favour of protecting honest and fearless judges, while simultaneously seeking strict legal action against corrupt judges, including filing court cases and petitions seeking criminal prosecution where warranted. According to the IBA, these efforts are aimed at preserving transparency, accountability, and constitutional discipline in the justice delivery system.
Disciplinary Proceedings Without Authority?
A major legal issue highlighted during the discussions was that the statutory five-year term of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa expired in August 2024, and multiple High Court and Supreme Court judgments have held that the Council cannot continue disciplinary proceedings thereafter.
Several such proceedings have already been quashed by courts, and even a review petition filed by the Bar Council of India has been dismissed. [Yeshwanth Shenoy v. Bar Council of Kerala, 2025 SCC OnLine Ker 4049 ; Bar Council of India v. Yeshwanth Shenoy, 2025 SCC OnLine Ker 11013; Anoop Singh v. Bar Council of India, (2010) 15 SCC 499 ]
In one instance involving Adv. Rajeev Narula, the Supreme Court reportedly quashed unauthorised disciplinary proceedings and imposed costs of ₹50,000 each in two matters, strongly criticising the harassment of advocates without jurisdiction.
Despite this, it was alleged that illegal and ultra vires disciplinary actions are continuing, with accusations that some advocates are being deliberately harassed, monetary demands are being made, and that certain actions verge on extortion.
Allegations of Double Standards and Violation of Article 14 by the Bar Council
Concerns were raised that certain members of the Bar Council are following double standards and practising selective justice. Reference was made to a Bombay High Court judgment in Geeta Ramanugrah Shastri v. Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa, 2023 SCC OnLine Bom 1720, which clearly held that disciplinary complaints filed by the opposite party only to harass advocates must be rejected at the very beginning.
However, it has been alleged that this ruling is applied selectively. While some advocates are given the benefit of this judgment, other advocates in similar situations are denied relief. This selective approach has raised serious questions about the violation of Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.
Several speakers therefore demanded a thorough and independent investigation, including a possible CBI inquiry, into allegations of selective action, financial irregularities, and abuse of authority within the Bar Council.
Large-Scale Protests Announced
The meeting also witnessed extensive deliberations on the dignity of advocates as Officers of the Court, alleged humiliating treatment by certain police officers, and the misuse of contempt law by some judicial authorities. Concrete organisational and legal measures were discussed to address these issues.
Prominent advocates including Adv. Nilesh Ojha, Adv. Vijay Kurle, Adv. Partho Sarkar, Adv. Tanveer Nizam, Adv. Ishwarlal Agarwal , Adv. Abhishek Mishra, Adv. Niki Pocker, Adv. Vikas Pawar and Adv. Sonali Manchekar, along with several senior and young lawyers, voiced their views and declared full, unconditional, and active support for the movement. The notable presence of women advocates was highlighted as a sign that the agitation is evolving into a broader professional and social movement.
It was announced that large-scale protests will soon be organised in Mumbai and New Delhi, including what is being described as the largest-ever car and bike rally of advocates in history, to be held under the leadership of the Indian Bar Association.
A Final Warning
The meeting concluded with a strong and unequivocal message:
“If advocates are at fault, action must certainly be taken. However, if advocates are harassed without cause, out of vendetta or corrupt motives, no one will be spared. ‘Kaayde me rahoge, tabhi faayde me rahoge’—act within the law, and only then will you remain protected by the law.”
With the movement rapidly gaining momentum across the country, the coming weeks are expected to test the resolve, accountability, and credibility of legal institutions nationwide.
