Supreme Court disposes of plea after BCI withdraws age limit for law courses

New Delhi: The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Friday informed the Supreme Court that it had withdrawn the upper-age restrictions for admission to three-year and five-year law degree programmes, paving the way for aspirants of all age groups to pursue legal education.

Taking note of the BCI’s decision, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana disposed of the plea challenging the age restrictions.

In March 2017, the top court had stayed the BCI’s decision to prescribe an upper age limit of 22 years for the five-year LLB course and 45 years for the three-year course.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by Rishabh Duggal challenging a 2016 BCI circular that had reinstated Clause 28 of Schedule III of the Rules of Legal Education, 2008.

The provision prescribed a maximum age limit of 20 years for admission to the five-year integrated law programme.

Advocate Radhika Gautam, appearing for the BCI, apprised the bench that the council’s General Council had resolved to withdraw the age restrictions.

In view of the subsequent resolution, the bench disposed of the petition as having become infructuous.

On September 25, the bench had asked the BCI to clarify whether it was willing to withdraw the upper-age limit prescribed for admission to five-year integrated law courses.

The BCI had originally prescribed an upper age limit of 20 years for general-category candidates and 22 years for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and backward communities for admission to five-year integrated law courses under Clause 28 of the Rules of Legal Education, 2008.