A group of 25 law graduates from various colleges across the state has approached the Kerala High Court, seeking urgent action from the Bar Council of Kerala (BCK) and the Bar Council of India (BCI) to expedite their enrolments. The petitioners allege that the delay caused by the BCK has resulted in irreparable losses for them.

According to the petition, the BCK had initially planned to conduct enrolment on May 21. However, online registrations were abruptly halted on March 20 following the Supreme Court's directive to the BCI to establish uniform enrolment fees for all State Bar Councils. The petitioners argue that the BCK's inaction has impeded their right to enrolment, livelihood, practice, and profession, despite repeated attempts to address the issue with the council.

Having successfully completed their law courses, the petitioners have been eagerly waiting for the enrolment process to commence. They have submitted multiple representations to both the BCK and the BCI but claim that no effective measures have been taken to resolve the matter. The petitioners stress the urgency of enrolment as it directly impacts their ability to apply for desired job opportunities. They assert their willingness to pay the enrolment fees as determined by the BCK.

The petitioners' legal representatives, Advocates Neethu Prem, Rahul Sasi, and Archana Vinod, argue that the respondents' failure to conduct the enrolment as scheduled is arbitrary, unjust, and illegal.

In a related development, a division bench of the Kerala High Court recently directed the BCK to collect enrolment fees of ₹750 from all law graduates seeking enrolment as advocates. This directive came in response to an appeal filed by the BCK, challenging an interim order that allowed law graduates to provisionally submit enrolment applications upon payment of ₹750. The division bench extended the single-judge's order to cover all law graduates in the state, taking into account the upcoming meeting of the BCI to decide on a uniform enrolment fee structure applicable to all State Bar Councils.

The case titled "R Ardra Menon v. The Chairman & Anr" underscores the urgent plea made by the law graduates to the Kerala High Court, alleging delays in enrolments by the Bar Council of Kerala and the Bar Council of India.