Assistance to Panel Counsel designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court / High Courts: Department of Legal Affairs O.M. dated 02.12.2024
F. No. J-11017/61/2024-Judicial
Government of India
Ministry of Law & Justice
Department of Legal Affairs
(Judicial Section)
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Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi
Dated the 2nd December, 2024
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Assistance to Panel Counsel designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court / High Courts – regarding
Under the Advocates Act, 1961, Advocates are designated as Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court and High Courts for the court concerned. There are certain restrictions on designated Senior Advocates as prescribed by the Advocates Act, 1961 and Bar Council of India Rules in Part-VI Chapter-1 titled “Restrictions on Senior Advocates”.
2. In view of the above restrictions, it has been decided that whenever a counsel on panel for Union of India is designated as a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court or High Court, he/she would continue to deal with the cases assigned to them prior to being designated as Senior Advocate and assignments in future to defend Union of India on this Department’s terms & conditions vide OM dated 01.10.2015. However, such Senior Advocates must be provided an assisting counsel from the panel of :
(i) Group ‘B’/’C’ Counsel in Supreme Court of India;
(ii) Government Pleader in High Court of Delhi and Additional Central Government Standing Counsel in CAT (PB);
(iii) Senior Counsel Group-II in Principal Benches of High Court of Bombay and Calcutta including CAT Benches at Mumbai and Kolkata:
(iv) Central Government Counsel in all the other High Courts and their Benches (including benches of High Court of Bombay and Calcutta) and Additional Central Government Standing Counsel in CAT Benches;
3. The above decision shall come into effect from the date of this OM.
4. This is issued with the approval of the competent authority.
(M.C. Prusty)
Senior Government Advocate
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