A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justice V. Mohana, has issued notice to the Union government on a public interest petition seeking a national digital register to identify and prevent fake lawyers.
The petition, filed on behalf of the Indian Bar Association by advocates Vipin Nair and Prashanth Kumar, said around 18 lakh lawyers are enrolled across the country but there is no unified national database to instantly verify whether an enrolment is genuine. With 23 State Bar Councils functioning independently, the plea alleged that information gaps are being exploited, allowing impersonators to grow.
It proposed a national-level digital registry for the legal profession, including a unique national identification number for every advocate. The plea also sought a digital profile carrying educational qualifications, disciplinary history, and a QR code that courts and the public can use for verification.
The petition further flagged social media and digital conduct, stating that young advocates posting court arguments and professional promotions on social platforms violates Bar Council Rule 36, and called for clearer rules under Section 49 of the Advocates Act, 1961.
The bench described the technology-backed proposal as innovative and sought responses from the Centre, the Bar Council of India, State Bar Councils and the University Grants Commission. The matter has been posted for further hearing in July.
