After Fake Law Degree Expose, BCI issues directive to State Bar Councils to do verification of advocates
Bureau/ royalpatiala.in News/ January 15,2025
“The Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued an urgent directive to all State Bar Councils to commence a comprehensive verification of advocates registered on their rolls. This action follows a disconcerting revelation from Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut, which uncovered 13 cases of fake law degrees. Further scrutiny suggests a more extensive problem, potentially involving hundreds of cases in Delhi alone” state News Portal Law Trend.
Earlier, the Bar Council of India (BCI) had issued a circular on September 25, 2024, to all State Bar Councils (SBCs) mandating strict compliance with BCI directions of criminal background check, declaration of simultaneous degree or employment and compliance with attendance norms before enrolling candidates for legal practice.
Moreover, the BCI criticized Chaudhary Charan Singh University for delaying the verification reports and for imposing fees for processing these verifications, a practice deemed against Supreme Court guidelines that demand prompt and free verifications.
The exposure of these fraudulent qualifications poses a significant threat to the integrity of the legal profession and has triggered a nationwide audit of legal credentials. Under Section 26(1) of the Advocates Act, 1961, the BCI has made it clear that failure to report or address these fraudulent practices will be viewed as a serious breach of duty, inviting severe legal repercussions.
As per Law Trend, “the process of identifying and disqualifying advocates with counterfeit degrees is underway. However, the BCI emphasized that only it holds the statutory power to remove an advocate from the rolls, based on a referral from state councils. Any deviation from this prescribed procedure not only undermines the authority of the BCI but also contravenes the Advocates Act.”
The BCI expressed its disappointment over the ineffective verification mechanisms previously in place at several State Bar Councils. Reports suggest that the malpractice might involve thousands, with fake degrees, forged academic documents, and falsified credentials widespread across the country. This crisis jeopardizes public trust in the judiciary and undermines the professional standards expected within the legal field.
After Fake Law Degree Expose, BCI issues directive to State Bar Councils to do verification of advocates . Earlier in June 2026, the Supreme Court had stayed a Bar Council of India (BCI) resolution requiring Advocates-on-Record (AoRs) to get their professional credentials checked as to weed out fake lawyers.
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