The High Court may direct a statutory body like the Bar Council to expeditiously process representations regarding professional qualification disputes once internal procedural prerequisites, such as committee formation, are satisfied, ensuring adherence to natural justice.

(Order of the Court was made by N.SATHISH KUMAR, J.)

This writ petition has been filed seeking a direction to the respondents to consider the representation submitted by the petitioner and to take appropriate action in accordance with law as against the fourth respondent.

2.According to the petitioner, the fourth respondent had submitted an application before the Bar Council seeking enrolment as an Advocate by claiming that she had undergone and completed her law course by attending the College regularly. However, it is the specific allegation of the petitioner that the fourth respondent had never attended the college and had made false claims for the purpose of enrolment. In this regard, the petitioner had already submitted a complaint before the Bar Council seeking appropriate action.

3.The learned counsel appearing for the first respondent submitted that the complaint given by the petitioner has to be examined by the appropriate Committee constituted by the Bar Council. It is further submitted that, due to the ongoing election process, the Committee has not yet been constituted and immediately after constitution of the Committee, the petitioner’s complaint would be considered on merits and appropriate orders would be passed after affording opportunity to both the petitioner as well as the fourth respondent.

4.Recording the above submission made by the learned counsel appearing for the first respondent, this Court directs the first respondent to constitute the appropriate Committee after completion of the election process and thereafter consider the petitioner’s representation/complain on merits and in accordance with law after issuing notice and affording sufficient opportunity of hearing to the petitioner as well as the fourth respondent.

5.With the above direction, this writ petition stands disposed of. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. There shall be no order as to costs.