Lawyers Have To Follow Colonial Dress Codes: Supreme Court

Last updated on July 26th, 2022 at 09:29 am

A petitioner argued black coats and gowns date to colonial times. The goal was to preserve advocacy and the court’s dignity, but the practicalities must be considered.

Supreme Court On Dress Code: The argument that lawyers should not be required to wear black coats plus gowns during the summer was rejected by the Supreme Court.

The Bar Council of India, the body that determines the conduct of attorneys and other rules, was suggested to the petitioner by the court.

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Black coats and gowns, according to petitioner Shailendra Tripathi, date back to colonial times. 

It is true that this is being done to preserve the court’s honor and the advocacy industry. But it’s important to consider the application as well.

Uncomfortable Dress Code For Lawyers

Summertime challenges in observing the dress code It is difficult to adhere to this dress code amid the oppressive heat that prevails over most of India.

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Additionally, managing such apparel is challenging for newer and less financially capable lawyers. A bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and V. Ramasubramaniam took up the case.

We Wore It, So Wear You Too: Supreme Court Justice

Justice Banerjee, who has served as a judge in both the Madras High Court and the Calcutta High Court, expressed sympathy to the petitioner. Both locations are near the water. There, it gets really hot and muggy.

The bench informed senior attorney Vikas Singh, who was representing the petitioner, that the subject was not one that the Supreme Court would directly hear. 

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You ought to submit a memo to the Indian Bar Council. The petitioner has withdrawn the petition in response to the court’s observation.