UP Bar Council Moves to Clean House: Licences of History-Sheeters and Gangster Advocates to Be Suspended
By Rajesh Pandey
The Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh has informed the Allahabad High Court that it has taken a unanimous decision to suspend the licences of advocates who are listed as history-sheeters or gangsters in police records, marking a significant step toward restoring professional integrity within the legal fraternity.
The submission was made before a bench presided over by Justice Vinod Diwakar during the hearing of a petition filed by advocate Mohammad Kafeel, who is facing multiple criminal cases.
These include allegations under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters Act, as well as charges of forgery, extortion, and criminal conspiracy.
The Bar Council told the court that it has taken suo motu cognisance against 98 advocates identified as history-sheeters, and that disciplinary proceedings against 23 advocates are currently pending before its disciplinary committee.
Kafeel had approached the High Court by filing a petition under Article 227, challenging an order of the additional sessions judge, Etawah, which had dismissed his complaint against a police constable.
He alleged that he was assaulted and punched by the constable near a railway station on November 26, 2025.
During the hearing, however, the state counsel apprised the court of the petitioner’s own criminal antecedents, placing them on record to contextualise the allegations made against the police official.
It was also recalled that, in an earlier order dated December 18, the High Court had sought statewide data on criminal cases pending against advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh.
In compliance, counsel Ashok Kumar Tiwari, appearing for the Bar Council, placed before the court a formal resolution confirming the unanimous decision to suspend licences of advocates found to be history-sheeters or gangsters.
The court granted the Bar Council additional time to submit a pen drive containing details of all advocates who have been issued certificates of practice, enabling cross-verification with police and government records.
Additionally, the High Court took on record the state government’s compliance affidavit, which included a district-wise list of criminal cases registered against lawyers across Uttar Pradesh.
The proceedings underscore a growing judicial and institutional resolve to ensure that the legal profession is not compromised by individuals with serious criminal antecedents.
#AllahabadHighCourt #BarCouncilOfUP #LegalEthics #AdvocatesAndLaw #GangstersAct #JudicialReforms #RuleOfLaw #UttarPradesh