Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Srinagar: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has ruled that female advocates cannot appear in court with their faces covered, in accordance with Bar Council of India (BCI) rules.
This decision, made by Justices Moksha Khajuria Kazmi and Rahul Bharti, emphasized that the BCI rules governing advocates’ dress code do not allow face coverings and highlighted the importance of maintaining courtroom decorum and professional identification.
The issue surfaced when a woman identifying as an advocate appeared in court with her face covered. When asked to remove the cover for identification, she claimed it was her fundamental right to wear it. Consequently, the court instructed the Registrar General to verify the legal stance on the dress code for advocates.
Upon reviewing the report, the court examined the BCI rules, specifically Chapter IV (Part VI), which details the dress code for advocates. The rules state that women advocates may wear black full-sleeve jackets or blouses, white bands, sarees, or other traditional attire, along with a black coat. However, the rules do not permit face coverings in court.
Justice Kazmi remarked, “It is nowhere stated in the rules that any such attire (face cover) is permissible for appearing before this court.”
Justice Bharti, in a separate order, underscored the necessity for clear identification of advocates to uphold the sanctity of judicial proceedings. By refusing to remove her face cover, the advocate rendered herself unidentifiable, prompting the court to refuse her appearance as an advocate.
In his interim order, Justice Bharti stated, “This court has no basis to confirm her actual identity both as a person and as a professional.”
