Kolkata/New Delhi: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has sought detailed information from the Bar Council of West Bengal regarding the enrolment and practice status of former West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, after she appeared before the Calcutta High Court on Thursday wearing advocate’s robes and arguing in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) relating to alleged post-poll violence in the state.
In a letter to the Secretary of the State Bar Council of West Bengal, the apex statutory body governing advocates directed that records relating to Mamata Banerjee’s enrolment, continuation on the State Roll of Advocates, suspension or cessation of practice during her tenure as Chief Minister, and any subsequent resumption of practice be furnished within two days.
“It has been brought to the notice of the Bar Council of India, through various media reports, that Ms. Mamata Banerjee, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, appeared today before the Hon’ble High Court at Calcutta wearing advocate’s robes/legal attire, including white bands,” the communication stated.
Referring to the Bar Council of India Rules governing professional conduct and dress code for advocates, BCI Principal Secretary Sriramanto Sen said that, in view of the constitutional office held by Mamata Banerjee from 2011 to 2026, it was necessary to verify the “factual status of her enrolment, practice, suspension, if any, and resumption, if any” from official records maintained by the State Bar Council.
The BCI has sought details including her enrolment number, date of enrolment, whether her name continues on the State Roll of Advocates, and whether she had intimated suspension or cessation of practice during her tenure as Chief Minister.
It also asked whether any application for resumption of practice was subsequently filed and whether any valid Certificate of Practice presently exists in her favour.
The communication directed the West Bengal State Bar Council to furnish certified copies of all supporting records, including entries from the State Roll, enrolment register, suspension or resumption records, inward registers, correspondence files, and related file notings.
The BCI further directed that all original records connected to the matter be preserved “in their present form” and that no alteration, overwriting, interpolation, or reconstruction of records be undertaken pending submission of the reply.
The development came hours after Mamata Banerjee appeared before a Division Bench of Chief Justice (CJ) Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen in connection with a PIL alleging large-scale post-poll violence following the recently-concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
Appearing in black advocate’s robes over her signature white saree with blue borders, Mamata Banerjee argued that incidents of violence, particularly against women and members of the minority community, had reached “an alarming stage”.
“The post-poll violence in the state has reached an alarming stage. No one, especially the people from the minority community and even the women and children, is spared. Married women are being threatened with rape. Houses are being looted and burnt. The police are not taking any action,” she submitted before Calcutta High Court.
She also informed the CJ Paul-led Bench that she had been enrolled as an advocate in 1995 and had “regularly renewed” her membership.
The PIL was filed by advocate Sirsanya Banerjee, son of senior advocate and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee. During the hearing, state government counsel Dhiraj Trivedi opposed the plea, arguing that no specific instances of violence had been cited in the petition and contending that interim directions should not be passed without concrete particulars being placed before the court.
Meanwhile, the new and ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, refused to make any comments when he was asked by the media persons on Thursday afternoon after his predecessor’s move to appear at the Calcutta High Court and argue the PIL as a counsel.
“I have a lot of pending work. I do not have the time to think about an unnecessary matter. Time is very important,” the Chief Minister said.
In the recently concluded West Bengal election, Mamata Banerjee was defeated by incumbent Chief Minister Adhikari from Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata by a margin of over 15,000 votes.
(IANS)
