1 week ago

Delhi Bar Council Requires Social-Media Affidavits From New Enrollees

The Delhi Bar Council has created a new rule for people who want to become advocates.

They must promise to use social media responsibly.

This promise must be written in an affidavit and submitted with their enrollment papers.

It must be prepared on Rs 50 stamp paper and officially witnessed.

The rules cover videos, court recordings, advertising, artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and private client information.

They also prohibit attention-grabbing claims such as “guaranteed bail.”

The Bar Council of India says the rules focus on professional behavior, not ordinary personal life.

Lawyers who are already enrolled do not have to submit a new affidavit, but they should be informed about the standards.

Key facts

Affidavit requirement: Must be submitted with the advocate enrollment form.
Stamp paper: The affidavit must be made on a Rs 50 stamp paper.
Attestation: It must be attested by a notary public or oath commissioner.
Covered conduct: Rules address reels, short videos, court premises and proceedings, chambers, hearings, livestreams, professional work, AI-generated content, deepfakes, cloned audio, and synthetic digital content.
Prohibited examples: The BCI guidelines prohibit promotional content inside courts, clickbait such as “guaranteed bail,” and misuse of AI or client confidentiality.
Existing advocates: Currently enrolled advocates do not need to file a fresh affidavit under the BCI guidance, but State Bar Councils must educate them about the standards.
Legal framework: The Bar Council of Delhi operates under the Advocates Act of 1961 and handles enrollment, professional conduct, discipline, and welfare schemes.

theprint.in · 1 week ago