Aarohi Girish Dhumale
On September 17th, 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed public interest litigation (PIL), which sought relaxation of lawyers’ dress code in summer.
This PIL was filed by Advocate Shailendra Mani Tripathi and was heard by the Bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra.
The petitioner sought to amend The Advocates Act, 1961, as wearing the lawyers’ attire in summer heat was unsafe. The Bench said that wearing the proper lawyers’ attire is a matter of decorum and that lawyers cannot argue wearing “kurta pajama, shorts and T-shirt”
“Wearing a warm coat like a blanket in summer is no less than any torture. The climate of India is full of diversity. High temperature and humid weather prevail almost throughout the year in most parts of India. Wearing warm clothes in such weather affects work efficiency, which directly affects the quality of justice,” argued the petitioner in his plea.
He also sought directions for state bar councils to determine summer months for their respective states to exempt lawyers from wearing the lawyers’ outfits in those months.
The petitioner also requested the formation of a committee consisting of medical experts who will study how the lawyers’ attire affects the lawyers’ health and quality of work in the summer. He stated in his petition that this attire is of British origin and doesn’t take into consideration the Indian climate.
The bench allowed the petitioner to make representations in his personal capacity to the Bar Council of India, state bar councils, and the Centre, as these bodies may decide about this.
Bench: Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra