Government wants advocates to stop using state emblem to flaunt status as empanelled counsel

NEW DELHI: The government is concerned that the lawyers it engages are assuming too close a connection for comfort. The law ministry wants advocates on government rosters at all levels to stop using the state emblem, the Ashoka Chakra, as a means of flaunting their status as empanelled counsel.

The law ministry said in a note that such lawyers are "not permanent government officials"and are "engaged for a specific period only".

ET has seen the letter issued by Zoya Hadke, joint secretary and legal adviser to the government, and approved by law minister DV Sadananda Gowda. The central and state governments select lawyers in private practice to appear on their behalf in various cases.

The ministry’s directive addresses instances of such lawyers seeking to advertise this fact by using the government seal. The emblem is the "official seal of the government of India and its use by private individual/organization is prohibited under the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005", the ministry said.

"They are not entitled to use the state emblem of India on their letter heads, stationery, visiting cards, etc."

The instructions cover "all the assistant solicitors general of India, central government standing counsel, senior/additional central government counsel, central government counsel, standing /additional standing government counsel and panel counsel".

The letter is addressed to assistant solicitors general of high courts, Supreme Court panel counsel, standing and panel counsel of the Delhi High Court, the Central Administrative Tribunal and other benches. Senior counsel have been told to inform other lawyers in their teams about the instruction.

ET has learnt that assistant solicitors general of high courts have written to central government lawyers assisting them to ensure "strict compliance"of the directions. Lawyers have been told that "it will not be appropriate for anybody to violate the provisions of the Act and the same shall be strictly followed".