New Delhi: Several lawyers of the Madras Bar have distanced themselves from a recent statement issued by Chairperson of the Bar Council of India (BCI), Manan Kumar Mishra congratulating the Modi-led Union Government on its decision to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution.
Signed off by 81 advocates from the Madras Bar, they said that the opinion expressed by Mishra was not the collective one of the entire legal fraternity as he claims to be.
Hours after the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Order, 2019 was introduced on August 5, Mishra had issued a congratulatory statement, lauding the central government on its move to take away the special autonomy granted to Jammu and Kashmir in certain respects.
The signatories have now registered particular objection to Mishra's decision to issue this statement in his official capacity as BCI chairman, terming it an abuse of his office. In this regard, their letter states,
"The press release issued by Mr Manan Kumar Mishra, as the Chairperson of the Bar Council of India applauding the action of the Government scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution is shocking, undemocratic and a misuse of his official position..."
"We place on record that the opinion expressed by Mishra, therefore, does not reflect that of the entire legal fraternity and can at best, be called his personal option that he is entitled express, in his individual capacity. The office of Chairperson of the Bar Council cannot be abused in this manner and Mr Mishra ought not to have issued a statement expressing his personal and political views in his official capacity.