The Bar Council of India (BCI) has formally requested the West Bengal Bar Council to provide detailed information regarding Mamata Banerjee's status as a lawyer. This action follows the former chief minister's appearance at the Calcutta High Court on Thursday, where she wore lawyer's robes to argue a public interest litigation.
BCI Demands Verification of Enrolment and Practice
In its statement, the BCI noted that Mamata Banerjee served as Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2011 to 2026. Without expressing any opinion on the permissibility of her appearance, the BCI sought factual verification of her enrolment, practice history, any suspension, and resumption of practice from the state bar council's records.
Nine Specific Points Requested
The BCI outlined nine specific details that the West Bengal Bar Council must furnish by May 16, 2016. These include:
- Her enrolment number, if enrolled with the State Bar Council of West Bengal.
- The date of her enrolment with the State Bar Council of West Bengal.
- Whether her name currently continues on the State Roll of Advocates.
- Whether she gave any intimation of voluntary suspension or cessation of practice during her tenure as Chief Minister.
- If such intimation was given, the date received and relevant documents.
- Whether any application for resumption of practice was submitted thereafter.
- If so, the date and whether it was accepted by the State Bar Council.
- Whether a Certificate of Practice is available and its current status.
- Any other records related to her entitlement to practice during or after her tenure as Chief Minister.
Strict Documentation Requirements
The BCI directed that the information must be based strictly on contemporaneous official records maintained by the West Bengal State Bar Council. This includes enrolment registers, State Roll records, Certificate of Practice documents, inward registers, suspension or cessation records, and relevant file notings. Certified copies of all documents, authenticated by the Secretary of the State Bar Council, must be provided along with page references, entry dates, and inward diary numbers.
Preservation of Original Records
Pending submission of the reply, the BCI ordered that all original records be preserved in their present form. No alteration, correction, overwriting, interpolation, or reconstruction is permitted except in accordance with law and after informing the Bar Council of India. The state bar council must submit its response within two days of receiving the letter.
Mamata's Court Appearance
Mamata Banerjee appeared before the division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, dressed in full advocate's attire. She wore a black lawyer's coat and white bands over her trademark white saree with blue borders to argue a PIL related to alleged post-poll violence in West Bengal after the recent Assembly elections. During the hearing, she presented photographs and a list of people allegedly killed in the violence, urging the court to protect the people of Bengal and accusing authorities of failing to act against attacks and intimidation.
Her appearance triggered heavy sloganeering inside the court premises amid heightened political tensions following the Trinamool Congress's defeat to the BJP in the Assembly elections. The PIL was filed by advocate Sirsanya Banerjee, son of senior Trinamool Congress leader and lawyer Kalyan Banerjee.
