The Bar Council of India constituted under the Advocates Act 1961 has several solemn duties to perform. Among others it has to lay down the standards of professional conduct and etiquette and also standards of legal education. The State Bar Councils does enrolment of advocates and enforcement of discipline is part of the obligations of the State Bar Council and the Bar Council of India exercises appellate jurisdiction. The Bar Council of India is a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to acquire and hold property, both movable and immovable, and to contract, and may by the name by which it is known sue and be sued. Under Section 7(1) of the Advocates Act 1961 lays down the functions of the Bar Council of India, which are as follows: -
7 (1)
omitted;
to lay down standards of professional conduct and etiquette for advocates;
to lay down the procedure to be followed by its disciplinary committee and the disciplinary committee of each State Bar Council;
to safeguard the rights, privileges and interest of advocates;
to promote and support law reform;
to deal with and dispose of any matter arising under this Act, which may be referred to it by a State Bar Council;
to exercise general supervision and control over State Bar Councils;
to promote legal education and to lay down standards of such education in consultation with the Universities in India imparting such education and the State Bar Councils;
to recognise Universities whose degree in law shall be a qualification for enrolment as an advocate and for that purpose to visit and inspect Universities or cause the State Bar Councils to visit and inspect Universities in accordance with such directions as it may given be in this behalf;
to conduct seminars and organise talks on legal topics by eminent jurists and publish journals and papers of legal interest;
to organise legal aid to the poor in the prescribed manner;
to recognise on a reciprocal basis foreign qualifications in law obtained outside India for the purpose of admission as an advocate under this Act;
to manage and invest the funds of the Bar Council;
to provide for the election of its members;
to provide for the election of its members;
to perform all other functions conferred on it by or under this Act;
to do all other things necessary for discharging the aforesaid functions;
(2) The Bar Council of India may constitute one or more funds in the prescribed manner for the purpose of :-
giving financial assistance to organise welfare schemes for indigent, disabled or other advocates;
giving legal aid or advice in accordance with the rules made in this behalf;
establishing law libraries.
(3) The Bar Council of India may receive any grants, donations, gifts or benefactions for all or any of the purposes specified in sub-section (2) which shall be credited to the appropriate funds constituted under that sub-section 6, 7, 8,
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