Mamata appears as lawyer in HC, BCI seeks advocate status details

NEW DELHI: Hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee appeared in an advocate’s attire before Calcutta high court on Thursday, the Bar Council of India (BCI) asked the West Bengal Bar Council to furnish details of her enrolment as an advocate, whether the licence to practise was kept suspended during her tenure as CM, and the date of its revival.Writing to Bar Council of West Bengal, BCI principal secretary Srimanto Sen said the details are necessary to determine whether Banerjee is entitled to wear advocate’s attire immediately after ceasing to hold public office, which she held from 2011 to 2026.The BCI sought certified copies of original records relating to Banerjee from State Advocate’s Roll, enrolment register, certificate of practice records, inward/receipt registers, suspension or cessation of practice records, resumption records and any related file noting or orders.Asking WB Bar Council to preserve the original records, the BCI said the required information must reach it within two days.