The Kerala High Court Advocates Association (KHCAA) has objected to social media reels posted by lawyers, saying many are “not keeping with the ethics and dignity of advocates.”
The lawyers’ body recently issued a circular asking its members to refrain from creating social media content in and around court premises. According to the Association’s secretary, such content could attract legal action under the provisions of the Advocates Act.
One of the latest reels to attract attention features a young lawyer alternating between scenes of her working out at a gym in sportswear and appearing in professional attire on court premises. A complaint has been filed against the Kottayam-based lawyer, who posted the reel on her Instagram account.
Another video begins with a woman lawyer narrating her day in court and chatting with a friend in a corridor of the Kerala High Court, with footage recorded on the court premises. The Association has received a complaint about the latter video, said Nima Jacob, Secretary of the KHCAA.
The Association will conduct a preliminary inquiry into the alleged recording of the reel by the lawyer before referring the matter to the Bar Council of Kerala and the Registry of the Kerala High Court, the two authorities empowered to initiate legal action in such cases, Ms. Jacob said.
Such videos typically begin with advocates narrating their day in court, often while dressed in court attire, before shifting to scenes at restaurants or their homes, she pointed out. The lawyer declined to comment on the controversy surrounding her social media posts.
Incidentally, the Bar Council of India had earlier issued a comprehensive circular addressing the “growing and disturbing” tendency among legal professionals to record videos on court premises, spread misinformation, make scandalising comments about court proceedings, and circulate fake judgments or fabricated extracts of court orders.
