Global Indian Lawyers vs. Bar Council Of India

ITEM NO.25 COURT NO.7 SECTION XII S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) No(s).17150-17154/2012 (From the judgement and order dated 21/02/2012 in WP No.5614/2010 and MP No.1/2010, MP No.3/2010, MP No.4/2010 and MP No.5/2010 of The HIGH COURT OF MADRAS) BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA Petitioner(s) VERSUS A.K. BALAJI & ORS. Respondent(s) (With appln(s) for exemption from filing c/c of the impugned Judgment and permission to place addl. documents on record and PERMISSION TO FILE LENGTHY LIST OF DATES and with prayer for interim relief and office report) Date: 04/07/2012 These Petitions were called on for hearing today. CORAM : HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R.M. LODHA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL R. DAVE For Petitioner(s) Mr. M.N. Krishnamani, Sr. Adv. Mr. Manan Mishra, Sr. Adv. Mr. Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad,Adv. Ms. Antima Bajaj, Adv. For Respondent(s) R-14 & 33 Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Sr. Adv. Mr. Manu Seshadri, Adv. Mr. Amit Bhandari, Adv. for M/S. Dua Associates,Adv. R-10,16,19,26,39 Mr. Mukul Rohtagi, Sr. Adv. & 40 Mr. Saurabh Kirpal, Adv. Mr. M. Rishi Kumar,Adv. Mr. Mahesh Agarwal, Adv. Mr. Rishi Agrawala, Adv. Mr. E.C. Agrawala ,Adv. Ms. Neeha Nagpal, Adv. R-18 Mr. Nageshwar Rao, Sr. Adv. Mr. Sakya Singha Chaudhari, Adv. Mr. Sandeep Das, Adv. Ms. Poorva Nanawati, Adv. UPON hearing counsel the Court made the following O R D E R Issue notice returnable in ten weeks. M/S. Dua Associates waive service for common respondent Nos. 14 and 33, Mr. E.C. Agrawala, Advocate, waives service for common respondent Nos. 10, 16, 19, 26, 39 and 40, and Mr. Sakya Singha Chaudhari, Advocate, waives service for common respondent No. 18 in the special leave petitions. Notice shall only go to the unrepresented respondents. Dasti, in addition to the ordinary process, is permitted. In the meanwhile, it is clarified that Reserve Bank of India shall

not grant any permission to the foreign law firms to open liaison offices in India under Section 29 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973. It is also clarified that the expression "to practice the profession of law" under Section 29 of the Advocates Act, 1961 covers the persons practicing litigious matters as well as non-litigious matters other than contemplated in para 63(ii) of the impugned order and, therefore, to practice in non-litigious matters in India the foreign law firms, by whatever name called or described, shall be bound to follow the provisions contained in the Advocates Act, 1961.

(Rajesh Dham)

Court Master | |(Renu Diwan)

Court Master | |