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THE MATTER OF MR. 'A' AN ADVOCATE versus .

Citation: [1962] SUPP. 1 S.C.R. 288 · Decided: 25-09-1961 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: BHUVNESHWAR PRASAD SINHA

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Judgment (excerpt)

28S SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1962] SUPP. 
19111 
n, Jiyajtnao 
Collon Id ills Ltd. 
v. 
cannot, therefore, accept either of the two grounds 
urged by Mr. Viswanatha S&stri challenging th(• 
vires of the Act. 
Stott of Madhµ 
PtaJule 
MudholkM J. 
111111 
The appeal fails and is dismissed with 
costs. 
App,·al diami .. ed. 
IN THE MATTER OF MR. 'A' AN ADVOCATE 
(B. P. SINHA, c. J., K. SUJIBA RAO, J. c. SHAH, 
RAOHU11AR DAYAL and J. R. MUDHOLKAR, JJ.) 
Proft83ional Miaconduct-Adoocate on Record writing 
Uttcra wliciting bri•f•-lf guilty of profuaional miacondud-
Unlrulhful comlucl in court-Defect of character-Puniahment--
Supremt Cou•I Ru lea, 19a0 (aa amended), 0. IV A, r. 2. 
Mr. A, an Advocate on Record of this Court, wrote 
letters soliciting clients. One of such letters, a post-card was 
addres.ed to the Law Minister of Maharashtra and ended as 
follows,-
"You might have got an Advocate on Record in this 
Court but I would like to place my services at your disposal if 
you so wish and agree,,. 
To the Registrar of this Court he admitted 
having 
written the post-card, but before the Tribunal stoutly denied 
having don' so. The Tribunal found on evidence that the 
Advocate had written the post-card. When the matter came 
up before the court, the Advocate at lint denied having 
written the post-card but on being pressed by the court to 
make a true statement admitted that he had writren the post-
card and had admitted that before the Registrar. 
lldd, that it is against the etiquette of the Bar and its 
professional ethics to •olicit briefs from clients and an Advo-
cate who docs so must be guilty of gTOSily unprofessional 
cond1:ct. 
Th•rc can be no doubt in the instant case that the Advo-
cate concerned had written the post-card soliciting bri.Cs. It 
makes no diffcronce whether he did •o in ingorance of this 
elementary rule of the profession or in disregard of it, since his 
conduct in court showed that he had no regard for truth and, 
consequently, he deserved no •ympathy of the court and must 
be suspended. 
' 
(l} S.C.R. 
SUPREME COURT REPORTS 
289 
DISCIPLINARY JuRISDIOTlON: In the matter of 
Mr. •A' an Advocate. 
The Advocate in person. 
H. N. 8anyal, Additional Soliciwr-Gerwral uf 
India .and T .• 
~f. Sen, for the Attorney-General of 
India.. 
1961. September 25 and November 2. The 
Judgment of the Court was delivered by 
SINHA, C. J.-The Advocate proceeded against 
for professional misconduct was enrolled a.s an 
advocate of the Allahabad Hi~h Court in December 
1958. In January 1961, he was enrolled as an 
advocate of this Court. 'fhe proceedings against 
him were taken in accordance with the procedure 
laid down in 0. IV-A of the Supreme Court 
Rules. 
In March this year the Registrar of this Court 
received a letter, marked 'Secret', from Secretary 
to the Government of Maharashtra, in the Depart-
ment of law & Judiciary, to the effect that the 
"Advocate on Record" of the Supremr Court had 
addressed a post-card, dated January 1, 1961, to 
the Minister of Law of the State of Maharashtra., 
which "constitutes a gross case of advertisement 
a.nd solicitation for work." The original post-card 
was enclosed with the letter, with the request 
that the matter may be placed before the Chief 
Justfoe and the other Judges of the Supreme Court 
for such action as to their Lordships ma.y seem 
"' 
fit a.nd proper. The post-card, which was marked 
as Ex:. A in the proceedings which followed, is in 
these terms : 
Mr. •A'. 
Advocate on Record. 
Supreme Court, 
Office a.nd Residence B-9, Model 
Town, 
Delhi.9. 
Dated 19-1-61. 
J!SI 
·•'"' ""''"' •f 
Mr. 'A~ a11 Adl'ttal6 
Binlra C. J. 
1951 
Tn IN malln of 
lfr, ·~ M AtiDcitcl 
SW.. C.J. 
290 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1962) SUPP. 
Dear Sir, 
Jai Hind. 
Your attention is drawn to the rule 20 of 
Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules 1950 (as 
amended upto date) to appoint an Advocate 
on Record in tho Supreme Court ae according 
to this rule 'no advocate other than an 
advooate on Record shall appear and plead in 
any matter unless he is instructed by an 
Advoc9.te on Record.' 
You might have got an Advocate on 
Rccor<l in this Court but I would like to place 
my services at your disposal if yon so wish 
and agree. 
To 
Hoping to be favoured. 
Thanks, 
Y oura sincerely, 
Sd: •A' 
The Minister of Law, 
Government of Maharashtra, 
Bombay.'' 
When the matter was placed before the Chief 
Justice, he directed the Registrar informally to 
enquire from the Advocate conoerned whe

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