ORDER

(Judgment of the Court was delivered by R.MAHADEVAN, J The petitioner, who is practicing as an Advocate before the Madurai Bench of this Court, has come forward with this writ petition, in the nature of public interest litigation, praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus (i) directing the respondents 3 and 5 to transfer the investigation of the case in Crime No. 325 of 2019 pending on the file of the seventh respondent to the file of the fourth respondent and to investigate the same by a Special Investigation Team to be monitored by this Court; (ii) directing the authority concerned to introduce electronic finger print attendance system in all law colleges and universities imparting legal education in India and to issue E-certificates with high security features to prevent the trading of fake LLB Degree Certificates; and (iii) constituting a permanent Special Scrutiny Committee consisting of former Judges of this Court to scrutinise the applications received from the students, who obtained law degrees from the Colleges/Universities in other States, when submitted for enrolment as advocate(s) before the Bar Council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry.

2.(i) In the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, it is stated by the petitioner that the Bar Council of India has framed the Certificate and Place of Practice (Verification) Rules, 2015 with the avowed object of weeding out those lawyers, who, without effectively practicing, switch over to other profession for monetary gain. It is further stated by the petitioner that the said Rules empower the Bar Council to insist and/or verify the Vakalath and Memo of Appearance filed by the advocates in their rolls to ensure that they are in active practice in the legal profession, but the same is not being done. It is the grievance of the petitioner that several law colleges have mushroomed throughout the Country where the unhealthy and ugly trading of buying or selling law degrees are in vogue. It is also stated that some persons, without actually attending the course or securing minimum attendance, obtain law degrees by illicit means and because of those fake lawyers, the dignity and decorum of the lawyer profession gets eroded. In this context, the petitioner referred to a complaint dated 06.11.2019 lodged by the Secretary, Bar Council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry with the Inspector of Police, B-4, High Court Police Station in which it was stated that one B. Vipin with the aid of two other advocates, acted as middlemen for purchasing fake LLB Degree Certificates from the 11th respondent college. On the basis of such complaint, a case in Crime No. 23 of 2019 was registered on the file of the sixth respondent and subsequently, the case stood transferred to the file of the seventh respondent. Upon transfer, the seventh respondent registered a case in Crime No. 325 of 2019 dated 14.11.2019 for the offences punishable under Sections 8 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code. During the course of investigation, the seventh respondent arrested one Himavantha Kumar, Principal of the 11th respondent college. The investigation also unfolded that more than 1000 fake LLB Degree Certificates have been issued by the 11th respondent college upon receipt of illegal consideration to a tune of Rs.3 lakhs to Rs.5 lakhs per certificate. The petitioner also pointed out that those who are in full time employment, without attending regular classes, get enrolled themselves as advocate based on such fake degree certificates, as a result of which, the noble profession is being spoiled by them. According to the petitioner, on the basis of such fake degree certificate, several persons have enrolled themselves as advocates and are practicing as advocates. The sale of such fake certificates are taking place throughout the country and it goes unchecked.

(ii) The petitioner would further state that in the year 2010, the Bombay High Court has issued a direction to the C