Supreme Court Directs Swift Action on Fake Advocates, Orders BCI to Report Progress in 8 Weeks
The Supreme Court of India has recently emphasized the urgent need to address the issue of fake advocates, which is believed to affect approximately 20% of the 1.5 million lawyers in the country. On January 24, 2025, a bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to expedite the verification process of lawyers’ credentials and submit a status report within eight weeks.
This directive follows concerns raised about the significant number of imposters practicing law, which not only undermines the legal profession but also poses risks to unsuspecting litigants. The BCI had initiated a verification drive in 2015, but progress has been slow, prompting the Supreme Court to demand a clearer timeline for completion. Reports indicate that over 1,000 fake lawyers have already been identified in both Delhi and Punjab, with recent findings revealing that many had submitted fraudulent degrees from institutions like Bundelkhand University.
The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the critical nature of this issue, highlighting that the verification process cannot be indefinite and must be treated with urgency to protect the integrity of the legal system in India
