1. To challenge “The Bar Associations of Rajasthan Rules, 2013” (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Rules of 2013”), the prominent Bar Associations operating at different stations in the State of Rajasthan, are before us as petitioners in the petitions preferred under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. The petitioner Bar Associations are societies, either registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or under the Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958.

2. The case of the petitioner associations is that the State Bar Council is having no competence to enact the Rules of 2013, prescribing complete code relating to constitution, election, management, working, funding etc. of the Bar Associations. The Rules, as per the petitioners, deserve to be declared ultra vires being enacted by the State Bar Council beyond the competence vested in it. The Rajasthan State Bar Council enacted the Rules aforesaid with preamble that reads as follows:-

“The profession of advocacy is a noble one because the advocate serves the society with all decency, responsibility and with dignity. Advocates are the representative class of society. The leaders of bar project the standard and quality of their members. In recent past years the procedure to choose leaders of Bar Associations has been polluted. Also, the fact is there that the welfare schemes introduced by Rajasthan Bar Council and the Bar Council of India are not being properly implemented.

It is the duty of state Bar Council to promote the growth of Bar Associations for the purpose of effective implementation of the welfare schemes prepared by it. Therefore, in order to give effective implementation of the welfare schemes for the advocates of state of Rajasthan and also to provide systematic and disciplined election process for the Bar Associations of state of Rajasthan, these rules are framed under the powers conferred under section 6(dd) of the Advocates Act, 1961.”

3. The rules aforesaid were approved by the Bar Council of India on 17.6.2014 and came into force on 31.5.2015. As per clause (a) of Rule 2 of the Rules of 2013 “Bar Association means registered under the Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958 (Act No.28 of 1958) and recognized/registered under Section 14 of the Rajasthan Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 1987”. As per clause (g) of Rule 2 aforesaid “Advocate” means a person whose name has been entered on the State roll of advocates prepared and maintained by the Bar Council of Rajasthan State under Section 17 of the Advocates Act, 1961 and who is a member of a bar association.

4. Rule 3 of the Rules of 2013 makes it necessary for every Bar Association to have its registration under the Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958 and recognition/registration under Section 14 of the Rajasthan Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 1987. It is also required to consist of all those persons who have signed the Memorandum of Association and all others who became members of the Association under the Rules of 2013.

5. Rule 4 provides objects for an Association and those are as follows:-

“(a) To promote the development of legal science and studies and to watch legislation for the purpose of assisting in the progress of sound legislation;

(b) To safeguard and promote the interest of the legal profession and its members in general and of the members of the Association in particular;

(c) To promote a high professional tone, standard and conduct amongst the members of the legal profession and to check unprofessional practices;

(d) To maintain a library of legal literature and of other subjects likely to be useful to the members of the Associations;

(e) To provide a meeting place for the members of the Association particularly for study and discussion of law;

(f) To bring to the notice of the Bar Council, the High Court, the Supreme Court or the Central or State Governments regarding matters affecting the legal profession in general and the members of the Association in particular;

(g) To prepare and