With former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appearing before the Calcutta High Court in lawyer’s attire on Thursday, the Bar Council of India sought to know from the West Bengal State Bar Council the status of her enrolment as an advocate.

In a letter to the secretary of the state Bar Council, the BCI directed that the information be furnished before May 16.

The BCI said that it had noted from media reports about Banerjee’s appearance before the HC in wearing an advocate’s robe. The communication said, “The Bar Council of India Rules lay down, inter alia, the standards of professional conduct and etiquette applicable to advocates. Further, Part VI, Chapter IV of the Bar Council of India Rules, titled ‘Form of Dresses or Robes to be Worn by Advocates’ provides for the dress to be worn by advocates appearing before the Supreme Court, High Courts, subordinate courts, tribunals or authorities, including the wearing of bands and advocates’ gowns in the manner prescribed.”

The BCI has asked the state council to provide “her enrolment number, if enrolled with the State Bar Council of West Bengal … the date of her enrolment with the State Bar Council…” and “whether her name presently continues on the State Roll of Advocates maintained by the State Bar Council”.

It also sought to know “whether she had, at any point during her tenure as Chief Minister of West Bengal, given any intimation of voluntary suspension / suspension of practice / cessation from practise”.

The BCI also sought to know “whether any Certificate of Practice / relevant practice-status record in her favour is available with the State Bar Council, and whether the same is presently valid, active, suspended, or otherwise” and “whether any other record, intimation, communication, order, or entry exists in relation to her entitlement to practise during or after her tenure as Chief Minister”.

It asked the state Bar Council “to ensure that the information furnished is based strictly on contemporaneous official records … including the State Roll, enrolment register, Certificate of Practice records, inward / receipt registers, suspension or cessation of practice records, resumption records, and any related file notings or orders”.

The BCI also said that “certified copies of all such records be supplied, duly authenticated by the Secretary of the State Bar Council, with page numbers, register references, dates of entries, inward diary numbers, if any, and the present custody details of the original records.”