The Madras High Court had directed the BCI in July to draft guidelines urging State bar councils to initiate disciplinary measures against lawyers advertising or soliciting work directly or indirectly through advertisements, messages, or intermediaries.
![[Lawyers Ads Controversy] Sulekha Moves Supreme Court Against Madras High Court Order](https://i0.wp.com/lawchakra.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Image-1-2.png?resize=820%2C468&ssl=1)
NEW DELHI: Digital platform Sulekha has approached the Supreme Court challenging directions to remove advertisements published by lawyers on its site.
On November 11, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti issued a notice in the matter, consolidating it with a similar plea by JustDial.
The Court stated, “Issue notice, returnable in four weeks. After service of notice, the matter be tagged.”
Previously, in August, the Supreme Court sought the Bar Council of India’s (BCI) response to JustDial’s similar challenge against a Madras High Court order. The Court indicated that it would assess whether JustDial’s business practices align with the Advocates Act and BCI regulations.
The Madras High Court had directed the BCI in July to draft guidelines urging State bar councils to initiate disciplinary measures against lawyers advertising or soliciting work directly or indirectly through advertisements, messages, or intermediaries.
The Court further instructed the BCI to handle complaints against online platforms like Quikr, Sulekha, and JustDial, which allegedly violate Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules.
Additionally, the Madras High Court directed the BCI to remove existing lawyer advertisements on these platforms and advised intermediaries not to host such ads in the future. The High Court issued these directions in response to a plea by PN Vignesh, who called for action against websites offering “online lawyer services.”
Criticizing the “branding culture” among lawyers, the High Court observed that these websites provide baseless ratings and seemingly sell legal services at set prices, contravening BCI Rules.
Sulekha and JustDial subsequently filed appeals in the Supreme Court, which, while issuing notice, declined interim relief and refused to suspend the High Court’s order. The BCI has yet to submit its response.
Case Title: Sulekha.com New Media Pvt Ltd v PN Vignesh and ors.
