ABOUT THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF INDIA

The Bar Association of India was established in April 1960 shortly before the enactment of the Indian Advocates Act, 1961. It was registered under the Societies Registration Act (XXI of 1960). The first executive committee was headed by M.C. Setalvad, the first Attorney General of India. There were two Vice-Presidents, Dr K. M. Munshi and Mr K. Rajah Iyer, a Treasurer and four General Secretaries. The Solicitor General, Government of India and the Advocate Generals of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Kerala, Mysore, Bombay and Shillong were members. Besides these, there were sixteen other members. The Advocates Act, 1961 fused the legal profession in India abolishing the distinction between Solicitor and Advocate and a common term, viz. Advocate was prescribed. It was also made mandatory that only an Advocate whose name is entered on the roll of a State Bar Council could practice law in India. In course of time Bar Associations came to be formed in various High Courts and District Courts. With the establishment of Tribunals and Courts under specific statutes, for example, Labour Courts/Tribunals under the Industrial Disputes Act, Income Tax Appellate Tribunal under the Income Tax Act, etc., advocates primarily practising in those Courts and Tribunals formed their own Associations. The Bar Association of India is the Apex body which has, as corporate members, representatives from the Supreme Court Bar Association, State Bar Federation, High Court Bar Associations, Incorporated Law Society, District Court Bar Associations and the local Bar Associations. Presently the Association has 33 founder members, 1,151 life members, 877 ordinary members and 91 corporate members