Now Reading: Rajasthan High Court mandates registration, dress code for advocate clerks
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Rajasthan High Court mandates registration, dress code for advocate clerks
Rajasthan High Court mandates registration, dress code for advocate clerks
The Rajasthan High Court has issued detailed directions making registration mandatory for all advocate clerks, and prescribing a dress code and entry rules for law interns and students visiting the court. The…
The Rajasthan High Court has issued detailed directions making registration mandatory for all advocate clerks, and prescribing a dress code and entry rules for law interns and students visiting the court. The order by Justice Ravi Chirania comes after two incidents of inappropriate conduct by clerks, including one wearing earphones and using a mobile phone in the courtroom and another sitting with folded sleeves in a relaxed manner.
The court noted that over 330 persons work as advocate clerks, but only 163 are registered under the Rajasthan High Court Rules, 1952, with the last registration exercise in 2019. It directed all clerks to apply for registration within 10 days, failing which they will be barred from entering court premises. The process must be completed within 45 days.
New rules include mandatory police verification, disclosure of past or pending criminal cases, and issuance of temporary identity cards valid for 45 days. Clerks working for less than a year must work under a registered clerk. Male interns must wear formal attire with a tie, female interns must wear formal Indian attire or shirt-trousers with a tie. College IDs are compulsory. The court warned that anyone found working without registration will face action.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Rajasthan High Court's order tightens a regulatory framework that had been largely unenforced since 2019, leaving over half of the roughly 330 clerks outside the system. Advocate clerks handle filings and paperwork for lawyers but are not court employees, their conduct directly affects courtroom decorum. The 10-day application deadline and 45-day registration window create a short transition, after which unregistered clerks will be denied entry. Police verification adds a security layer, but the court has cautioned against mechanical rejection for past cases. The dress code for interns aligns with standards in several other high courts. The next step is whether the Bar Council of India or other high courts adopt similar rules.
Source: livelaw.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
