SRINAGAR: The high court bar association in Jammu has barred anyone other than lawyers from wearing a white shirt, black trousers and black coat on the court premises.A statement issued on Saturday by Anshu Mahajan, joint secretary of the bar association, notified that “no clerk, litigant or a member of the general public is permitted to wear a white shirt, black pants and black coat during their visit to the court complex”. Anyone found violating the directive “shall be treated as tout and appropriate action under law shall be initiated against the visitor, including filing of a formal complaint”, the statement added.The association said the attire is “strictly reserved for lawyers as a mark of professional identity and dignity of the legal fraternity”. It asked advocates to ensure that the interns working with them should wear black tie along with proper uniform, and “shall refrain from wearing band in the court premises until their enrolment as an advocate”.Subash Chander Gupta, a retired NIA court judge, told TOI that although the advisory is unusual, it serves a useful purpose. “It creates problems when touts disguise themselves as advocates,” he said.Gupta, however, was of the view that the restriction on white shirts should be reconsidered, since many litigants prefer wearing them in hot weather.Senior advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad said young lawyers have repeatedly raised concerns over “unauthorised people” posing as advocates and misleading litigants. This was hurting the profession, and that’s what prompted the bar association “to take the initiative to regulate this misuse”, he added.
