BCI writes to West Bengal Bar Council seeking records on Mamata Banerjee's advocate status

New Delhi [India], May 14 : The Bar Council of India (BCI) has written to the West Bengal Bar Council, seeking detailed information regarding the enrolment and legal practice status of former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after she appeared before the Calcutta High Court wearing an advocate's robe and white bands.

In a letter dated May 14, addressed to the Secretary of the Bar Council of West Bengal, the BCI referred to reports stating that Mamata Banerjee appeared before the High Court in legal attire prescribed for advocates. The BCI noted that the Bar Council of India Rules lay down standards of professional conduct and also prescribe the dress code to be worn by advocates appearing before courts and tribunals.

The BCI clarified that it was not expressing any opinion at this stage on whether such an appearance was permissible. However, considering the constitutional office held by Mamata Banerjee from 2011 to 2026, it said the factual position regarding her enrolment and practice status needed to be verified from official records maintained by the State Bar Council.

The Bar Council of India directed the West Bengal Bar Council to furnish several details regarding Mamata Banerjee within two days. These include her enrolment number, the date of her enrolment with the State Bar Council, and whether her name presently continues on the State Roll of Advocates. The BCI also sought information on whether she had, at any point during her tenure as Chief Minister, informed the State Bar Council about voluntary suspension, suspension of practice, or cessation from legal practice.

Further, the BCI asked whether any application or communication for resumption of legal practice was submitted after her tenure and whether the same was accepted or taken on record by the State Bar Council. It also sought details regarding any Certificate of Practice or related practice-status record in her favour and whether such a certificate is currently active, suspended, or otherwise.

The letter additionally asked the State Bar Council to disclose whether any other record, communication, order, or entry exists concerning her entitlement to practise law during or after her tenure as Chief Minister.

The BCI further directed that the information supplied must be based strictly on official and contemporaneous records maintained by the State Bar Council, including the State Roll, enrolment register, Certificate of Practice records, inward and receipt registers, suspension or cessation records, resumption records, correspondence files, and file notings. Certified copies of all supporting documents have also been sought.

The State Bar Council has also been instructed to preserve all original records in their present form and not make any alteration, correction, overwriting, interpolation, or reconstruction of records related to the matter until further intimation from the Bar Council of India.

Today, Mamata Banerjee arrived at the Calcutta High Court wearing a lawyer's robes in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL) related to alleged post-poll violence in the state following the 2026 State Assembly polls results.

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