The Kerala High Court has disposed of a petition seeking the enrollment of law graduates to the Bar Council of Kerala.

Justice N. Nagaresh closed the case after the petitioner’s counsel informed the Court that the Bar Council of Kerala had conducted enrollment for the new batch of advocates on 11th and 12th October 2025.

Earlier, the Court had relied on Section 58 of the Advocates Act to safeguard the interests of law graduates awaiting enrollment and had directed the Bar Council of Kerala to ensure the enrollment process was carried out.

Under Section 58(1) of the Advocates Act, if a State Bar Council is not constituted or is unable to perform its functions due to a Court order or other reasons, the High Court assumes the role of the Bar Council concerning the admission and enrollment of advocates.

The petitioner’s writ petition cited two Division Bench judgments. In Writ Appeal No. 788/2024, a Division Bench had upheld the functioning of three committees — the Office Bearers Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Enrollment Committee — set up by the Bar Council of India for Kerala. However, in Yeshwant Shenoy v. Bar Council of Kerala and Ors, a later Division Bench ruled that the current Bar Council of Kerala was operating in violation of statutory provisions, as the terms of its members had expired, no new elections were held, and no Special Committee was appointed under Section 8A of the Advocates Act, 1961.

The petitioner argued that this created ambiguity regarding the legality of future enrollment of law graduates under the present Council.

Once the Court was informed that the enrollment had been completed, the petition was closed.

Case Title: Stephen V Thomas v Bar Council of India

Case No: WP(C) 31555/2025