Bengaluru advocates’ body seeks new Bar Councilrepresentative with English proficiency | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: The Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru (AAB) has written to the Bar Council of India (BCI) seeking a new Bar Council representative proficient in English for court ceremonies.The association passed a resolution demanding the removal of Karnataka Bar Council (KSBC) chairperson SS Mittala Kod due to his inadequate English language skills and his stance to stop welfare stamps for AAB.It highlighted that the KSBC chairperson’s English pronunciation during the recent welcome ceremony for Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and other judges brought embarrassment to Karnataka. The July 22 letter noted his difficulty in properly pronouncing English words and errors in spelling the judges’ names.AAB suggested that if its request remains unaddressed, it would propose the advocate general handle such ceremonial duties in Court Hall 1.The association requested either the appointment of a different representative or permission for Kod to speak in Kannada with translation support. They also mentioned their opposition to his decision on welfare stamps for AAB.In response, Kod told TOI that his responsibilities towards 1.3 lakh advocates leave him with no time for social media campaigns. He stated that such campaigns violate the Advocates Act’s ethical guidelines.Kod pointed out that despite multiple notices since 2008, including two during his leadership, AAB has not secured official recognition from KSBC. He noted that while most of the 196 bar associations obtained recognition, AAB remains among the few exceptions.The KSBC chairman wondered how the AAB president could use vehicle nameplates against high court regulations. He also questioned the president’s commitment to implementing the health insurance scheme approved during the Basavaraj Bommai govt, despite claiming credit for the same.