Legal Review: Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Case on Summons to Advocates

The Supreme Court is set to hear a case on July 21 that could redefine the boundaries of legal advocacy, concerning probe agencies summoning lawyers who provide legal opinions or represent parties during case investigations.

This hearing, coming before a bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria, follows the controversial summoning of senior attorneys Arvind Datar and Pratap Venugopal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED had faced backlash, prompting it to instruct officers against summoning advocates without director's approval.

The legal community, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, has expressed grave concerns, labeling the ED's actions a 'disturbing trend' threatening the profession's integrity. The Supreme Court will address questions about the extent and limits of such summons, touching on fundamental issues of justice independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)