The Law Ministry reports over 20 lakh registered advocates across India, with Uttar Pradesh leading the count. Maharashtra and Delhi follow, highlighting the distribution of legal professionals across the country’s courts and states.
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NEW DELHI: The legal profession in India is vast and diverse, with thousands of advocates serving across different courts, from local district courts to the Supreme Court. Recent insights from social media platforms provide a glimpse into this dynamic landscape, highlighting the number of registered advocates across various states and courts in the country.
Some states naturally lead in terms of registered advocates due to their population size, economic activity, and concentration of courts. These states not only host major legal hubs but also have thriving legal education and professional networks. While exact numbers fluctuate, certain states consistently emerge at the top:
- Maharashtra, known for Mumbai, India’s financial capital, has one of the largest numbers of practicing advocates.
- Uttar Pradesh, with its massive population and numerous district courts, follows closely behind.
- Tamil Nadu & Karnataka: These southern states have well-established legal ecosystems and active bar associations.
This distribution reflects the legal needs of populous and economically active regions, where both civil and criminal cases are numerous.
The table below provides the number of advocates enrolled with each State Bar Council as of their respective dates:
| State | Total Advocates |
|---|---|
| Assam | 37,326 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 74,522 |
| Telangana | 46,555 |
| Bihar | 1,36,721 |
| Chhattisgarh | 31,429 |
| Delhi | 1,49,655 |
| Gujarat | 1,08,181 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 12,578 |
| Jharkhand | 31,248 |
| Karnataka | 1,11,162 |
| Kerala | 58,770 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1,12,390 |
| Maharashtra & Goa | 1,91,394 |
| Orissa | 58,697 |
| Punjab & Haryana | 1,17,423 |
| Rajasthan | 99,597 |
| Tamil Nadu | 1,14,584 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 4,00,016 |
| Uttarakhand | 18,804 |
| West Bengal | 86,555 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 10,589 |
| Tripura | 1,489 |
| Manipur | 1,974 |
| Meghalaya | 1,422 |
Total Registered Advocates in India: 20,13,081
The legal profession in India isn’t just concentrated in metropolitan areas. Advocates are registered across:
- Supreme Court: Practicing here requires specialization and experience.
- High Courts: Each state has a High Court, where advocates handle appeals, constitutional matters, and complex civil or criminal cases.
- District and Lower Courts: The majority of advocates start their careers here, dealing with grassroots-level legal issues.
This tiered distribution ensures access to legal services across the country, from the highest constitutional matters to local civil disputes.
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The distribution of advocates aligns closely with population density, the number of courts, and economic activity. Urban centers like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru attract more legal professionals due to greater opportunities in corporate, civil, and criminal law.
This distribution also highlights the increasing significance of regional bar councils and the necessity for equitable access to legal services in smaller states.