Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana bans use of ‘Hon’ble’ for chairman in correspondence

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Chandigarh, December 7

Chairman of the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana Suvir Sidhu has asked advocates to not address him as “Honourable” and “Hon’ble” while sending him letters, representations and professional complaints etc.

Sidhu, in a letter forwarded to all district bar associations, said, “The undersigned has been privy to many documents, i.e. professional misconduct complaints, election-related applications, representations from advocates among others, whereby the same have been addressed to the undersigned with certain prefixes such as ‘Honourable’, ‘Hon’ble’ etc. To the general public and legal fraternity, such honorific titles or salutations are remnants of the British Raj and must be shirked at all levels.

“ While celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the State Bar Council avows its resolve to shed the shackles of our colonial past and move towards Amrit Kaal. Such titles don’t define our sense of judgment or intent, thus please avoid using them in your pleadings or hearings before us.”

The chairman has directed the Bar Council office to not accept such documents which make reference to any prefix.

Earlier some of the judges of state High Courts had banned lawyers from addressing their courts as “My lord” and “Your lordship”.