Disciplinary proceedings set to begin today against 14 lawyers who were suspended by the Bar Council of India for creating disorder in Madras high court, have been stalled by the Madras high court, reported the Business Standard.

A bench of justices R Sudhakar and VM Velumani restrained the Special Disciplinary Committee (SDC) formed by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTP) to hold an inquiry against the suspended lawyers who had allegedly stormed various courtrooms and shouted slogans against judges, as was reported by Legally India.

The bench was hearing advocate and petitioner-in-person M Mohammed Rafi’s plea seeking to move the displinary proceedings to Karnataka State Bar Council’s committee, as originally proposed by the BCI Rafi has alleged that initially, the BCI constituted a disciplinary committee consisting of members from the Karnataka Bar Council so that a fair and proper inquiry could be conducted. But following a “sly” request from the BCTP, the inquiry was transferred to it.

The petitioner claimed that the suspended lawyers have good relationship with the members of BCTP nominated by BCI to inquire against them, making the whole process a hogwash. The petitioner had reportedly made a representation to the BCI to transfer the inquiry to another state on 29 September citing open support to errant lawyers by lawyers of the BCPT, which was rejected.

The court has directed the Secretary of the BCTP, who constituted the disciplinary committee, the Chairman of the BCI and the SDC to give their views on the plea in Rafi’s petition.