Cuttack: The Odisha State Bar Council has issued a directive mandating that all advocates enrolled with the Council who are also engaged in other professions, business activities, or holding offices of profit must surrender their licenses within one month starting August 1, 2025.
According to a Council resolution, any advocate failing to comply with this order will be deemed to have committed professional misconduct. The resolution underscores that legal practice requires full-time commitment and that parallel engagement in other business or professional activities compromises the dignity and independence of the legal profession.
The Bar Council has urged widespread publication of this directive through newspapers and electronic media to ensure that all concerned advocates are informed.
The order is expected to impact lawyers who simultaneously hold government posts, corporate positions, or other business interests, compelling them to make a clear choice between law practice and alternate professions.
