Kerala High Court Closes Plea Seeking Conduct Of Enrollment After Bar Council Of Kerala Enrols New Batch Of Advocates

Justice N Nagaresh closed the matter after the counsel for the petitioner told the court that the enrollment for the new batch of advocates had been conducted on 11 and 12th October 2025.

The Court has previously invoked Section 58 of the Advocates Act to protect the interests of law graduates awaiting enrollment and has directed the Bar Council of Kerala to conduct enrollment of advocates.

For context, as per Section 58 (1) of the Advocates Act, when a State Bar Council has not been constituted, or is unable to perform its functions by reason of any order of a Court or otherwise, the function of the Bar Council in relation to admission and enrollment of Advocates shall be performed by the High Court.

The petitioner in his writ petition has mentioned two separate Division Bench rulings. In Writ Appeal No. 788/2024, a Division Bench had upheld three committees — the Office Bearers Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Enrollment Committee — constituted by the Bar Council of India for the Bar Council of Kerala. However, in a later judgment in Yeshwant Shenoy v. Bar Council of Kerala and Ors, another Division Bench held that the present Bar Council of Kerala was functioning in violation of statutory provisions since the terms of its members had expired and thereafter, no new election was carried and no Special Committee was constituted by the Bar Council of India as per Section 8A of the Advocates Act, 1961.

This, the petitioner submitted, created uncertainty over the validity of future enrolment of law graduates enrolling under the present Council.

When it was informed that the enrollment had been conducted by the Bar Council of Kerala, the matter was closed.

Case Title: Stephen V Thomas v Bar Council of India

Case No: WP(C) 31555/ 2025

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 643

Council for Petitioner - T Krishnanunni (Sr.), Thareeq Anver, Vinod Ravindranath, Meena A, M R Mini, Anish Antony Anathazhath, Niveditha Prem V, Ananthakrishnan A Kartha. Mariya Joseph, Ameera Jojo

Council for Respondents - Rajit, Harikumar G, M U Vijayalakshmi