*Why is there unruliness in the legal profession in India?* (Part 4)
*By Balbir Singh Sooch, Advocate, Ludhiana*
*It must be stated that it is not an easy job for lawyers to perform all four categories of duties equally efficiently at the same time. However, a good professional lawyer would know how to strike a balance among various
kinds of duties. Each category of the duties is important for lawyers and failure to perform any one of them would surely erode social trust on the legal profession. Therefore, it is crucial that lawyers should be in
continuous vigilance of their own behaviour to protect the social image of the legal profession, as a whole.*
*In this background, it is stated that the current trend of increasing politicization of the legal profession is alarming. It is not only harmful for the profession per se but also to the society at large. Wholesale
politicization of legal profession distorts the vision of pluralistic society where lawyers have a professional role to play.*
*There is nothing wrong in lawyers becoming politically conscious or even to be politically ambitious. I would say that every citizen has a right to do so.*
*However, the present practice of lawyers on compromising legal ethics and professional responsibilities to serve blindly their party-political interests should be condemned.*
*It is unfortunate to notice that many of the leading lawyers serve as reserved intellectual army to the political parties.*
*Their expertise and the position of social acceptability are used by these political parties to further their own political agenda.*
*It is shocking that some of the reputed lawyers have actually become mere puppets in the hands of national political leaders who would want such lawyers to work as a legal stamp, at times to their unreasonable
party-political demands.*
*Professional lawyers are seen to be divided according to their party political beliefs so much so that they would sacrifice their professional responsibilities for the party-political interests.*
*Professionals could be a-political; but they should not compromise their professionalism for party politics, so long they are in pursuit of professional duties.*
*It is painful to observe that today's professional lawyers, being divided upon political affiliation, would attach polarized meaning to the provisions of Constitution to serve the wishes of their respective party politburo.*
*To add to the agony, certain behaviours of professional lawyers holding very high position in the legal profession are mainly guided by their party-political interests and ambitions.*
*It is stated that such trend of politicization of the legal profession should be consciously discouraged as it would cause some irreparable harms to the legal profession in future:*
*Firstly, the social image of lawyers would move from one of 'legal experts' to the one of 'political puppets';*
*Secondly, certain activities undertaken in the court premises in furtherance of party-political interests, would erode people's trust in the justice delivery system and also, in legal profession;*
*Thirdly, indiscriminate involvement in party politics would surely make the lawyers to compromise on their professional duties towards the court, their client, and their colleagues and as such, to the society;*
*Fourthly, it would set a very bad trend for new generation lawyers who are expected to learn 'professionalism' from their learned seniors.*
*It is, therefore, high time the legal profession realizes that moving away from professionalism would not bring any good to the profession in the long-run.*
*As professional lawyers they are committed to guard the reputation of their profession. The expectation from leaders in the legal profession is thus very high; for them it is urgent that they uphold the image of
professionalism at any cost.*