Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed Bar Council of Rajasthan (BCR) to dispose of all pending applications for enrolment as advocates by Sept 9. It observed that the delay was posing as a challenge to law graduates who want to begin their legal careers.Justice Shubha Mehta passed the order Thursday while allowing a writ petition filed by Surendra Khinchi, a 2025 law graduate of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Law University, Jaipur. The petitioner had approached the HC after his application for enrolment with BCR remained pending.Khinchi had submitted an application along with the requisite documents and fee under the Advocates Act, 1961, and had also sent a separate representation through email. However, his application was not processed due to the ongoing elections of Rajasthan Bar Council and other administrative reasons.During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner, Vishal Soni, argued that the prolonged delay was adversely affecting his right to begin legal practice.The petitioner also relied on Section 58 of the Advocates Act, 1961, contending that where a State Bar Council is unable to perform its functions, enrolment-related work can be undertaken through the mechanism provided under the law.The respondents informed the court that enrolment-related work was presently not being undertaken because of the Bar Council elections and that no committee was functioning for processing such applications. A committee constituted earlier on Feb 24 had subsequently been cancelled by the High-Level Election Supervisory Committee on March 12. As a result, several candidates faced difficulties in getting enrolled.The court, however, noted that by the time the matter was considered, the Bar Council elections had been completed and the results declared. “The petitioner’s pending application could now be processed. Also, several other candidates had similar applications pending, with delays affecting their ability to commence legal practice,” the court said.
