The standards of ethical values are higher for
lawyers, the Supreme Court on Friday said while refusing to allow a plea of a
Telangana lawyer who has been barred from contesting the upcoming state bar
council elections on account of pending criminal complaints.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and
justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi prima facie observed that the he
is not the person who should be allowed to contest the (Telangana State Bar
Council) elections.
The top court was hearing a plea of Rapolu Bhaskar,
a prominent Telangana High Court advocate, assailing provisions of
disqualification of an advocate in state Bar Council.
Referring to the provisions, a lawyer, representing
Bhaskar, said he was neither convicted nor punished in any matter.
The standard of ethical values are higher for
lawyers, the CJI said, adding lawyers often approach courts when any tainted
person is contesting general elections.
Referring to the recent poor public perception about
bar leaders, the CJI said if the bar bodies are trying to maintain certain
professional standards then they should not be stopped from doing so.
The counsel for Bhaskar said he filed around 22,000
cases in his career as a lawyer so far and he should not be stopped from
contesting elections on the basis of two complaints which have been filed by
third parties.
Senior advocate and Bar Council of India Chairperson
Manan Kumar Mishra said that elected members of a state bar council also
perform a quasi-judicial function by deciding disciplinary cases against the
lawyers.
The CJI said if the lawyer persists with the
argument that his plea be decided then the bench will pass some orders. Sensing
the outcome, the lawyer decided to withdraw the case.
Following orders from the Supreme Court, the state
bar council elections in Telangana are scheduled to be completed by January 31.