Kochi: A joint conference of the Bar Council of India and state Bar Councils today opposed opening up of legal profession to foreign lawyers or law firms.

A resolution passed on the concluding day of the two-day Joint Consultative Conference of the bodies requested the Centre not to take any final decision in the matter without consultations with the BCI and its approval. "The Centre should not permit the entry of foreign lawyers or law firms into the country to function or practice in any form as advocates, lawyers or solicitors, the resolution said.

The meeting authorised the BCI to continue the dialogue and interaction with the Centre represented by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Trade and Commerce and with the Law Councils and Law Societies of the foreign countries to look into the principle of reciprocity on the subject and to ascertain the detailed procedure of reciprocal arrangements and restrictions imposed on Indian lawyers in other countries.

It also protested the Centre's attitude in filing a counter affidavit in the Mumbai High Court adopting the stand that the Advocates Act had nothing to do with the matter and did not bar the practice of foreign lawyers in the country, even while holding dialogue with the BCI and seeking its views in the matter.

Source : PTI