Nepal Bar Council Act, 2050 (1993)

What does it do?

• The Act (the Nepal Bar Council Act) sets up the Nepal Bar Council as an autonomous body to protect lawyers' interests and make the profession more accountable to society. It is chaired by the Attorney General, with the President of the Nepal Bar Association as vice-chair, the Supreme Court Registrar, the Dean of Tribhuvan University's law faculty, senior advocates or advocates elected by lawyers in each province, and two nominated by the Bar Association.कानून व्यवसायीको हकहित संरक्षण गर्दै समाजप्रति बढी जिम्मेवार सेवा सञ्चालन गर्न यस ऐनले स्वशासित संगठित संस्थाका रूपमा नेपाल कानून व्यवसायी परिषद् स्थापना गरेको छ। महान्यायाधिवक्ता अध्यक्ष र नेपाल बार एसोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष उपाध्यक्ष रहने परिषद्मा सर्वोच्च अदालतका रजिस्ट्रार, त्रिभुवन विश्वविद्यालयको कानून संकायका डीन, प्रत्येक प्रदेशका कानून व्यवसायीले निर्वाचित गरेका वरिष्ठ अधिवक्ता वा अधिवक्ता र बार एसोसिएसनबाट मनोनीत दुई जना रहन्छन्। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Preamble, p. 1; Sections 3–4, p. 3
• The Council holds the bar examination at least once a year (written and oral, with oral marks capped at 10 percent), sets its syllabus, and registers as advocates Nepali citizens who pass it, hold the required qualifications (such as a law degree) and have no conviction for crimes of moral turpitude. It keeps an up-to-date register of lawyers and may cancel a licence obtained by someone who was not eligible.परिषद्ले वर्षमा कम्तीमा एक पटक कानून व्यवसायी परीक्षा (लिखित र मौखिक; मौखिकको अङ्कभार दश प्रतिशतभन्दा बढी नहुने) सञ्चालन गर्छ, पाठ्यक्रम तोक्छ, र परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण गरेका, तोकिएको योग्यता (जस्तै कानूनमा स्नातक) भएका र नैतिक पतन देखिने फौजदारी कसुरमा सजाय नपाएका नेपाली नागरिकलाई अधिवक्ताका रूपमा दर्ता गर्छ। परिषद्ले कानून व्यवसायीको अद्यावधिक लगत राख्छ र अयोग्य व्यक्तिले पाएको प्रमाणपत्र रद्द गर्न सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Sections 8, 15–20, pp. 6–11
• The Council monitors compliance with the code of professional conduct and receives complaints. A disciplinary committee, with court-like powers to summon and take evidence, may warn a lawyer, suspend them from practice for a period, or cancel their licence, after giving them a fair chance to respond. The Council may also prosecute people who breach the Act.परिषद्ले व्यावसायिक आचरण संहिता पालनाको अनुगमन गर्छ र उजुरी लिन्छ। समाह्वान जारी गर्ने र प्रमाण बुझ्ने विषयमा अदालतसरहको अधिकार भएको अनुशासन समितिले सफाइको उचित मौका दिई दोषी कानून व्यवसायीलाई नसिहत दिन, निश्चित अवधिका लागि व्यवसाय गर्न रोक लगाउन वा प्रमाणपत्र रद्द गर्न सक्छ। ऐनविपरीत काम गर्नेमाथि परिषद्ले मुद्दा पनि चलाउन सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Section 8(घ)–(छ), p. 6; Section 11, p. 8
• Only registered lawyers may appear, plead and argue for a party before courts and offices; doing so without registration is punishable by a fine of up to Rs 2,000, up to six months' prison, or both. Exceptions: government attorneys, the parties themselves, districts with fewer than ten lawyers, and foreign-licensed lawyers permitted by the court for a particular case. The Supreme Court may confer the title of Senior Advocate, with the advocate's consent, on advocates with at least 15 years of practice in the Supreme or appellate courts.दर्ता भएका कानून व्यवसायीले मात्र अड्डा–अदालतमा कुनै पक्षका तर्फबाट उपस्थित भई पैरवी र बहस गर्न पाउँछन्; दर्ता नभई त्यसो गरे दुई हजार रुपैयाँसम्म जरिवाना वा छ महिनासम्म कैद वा दुवै हुनसक्छ। सरकारी वकिल, मुद्दाका पक्ष आफैँ, दश जनाभन्दा कम कानून व्यवसायी भएका जिल्ला, र अदालतको अनुमतिमा कुनै खास मुद्दामा विदेशी कानून व्यवसायीलाई छुट छ। सर्वोच्च वा पुनरावेदन तहका अदालतमा कम्तीमा १५ वर्ष व्यवसाय गरेका अधिवक्तालाई सर्वोच्च अदालतले निजको सहमतिमा वरिष्ठ अधिवक्ताको उपाधि दिन सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission (lawcommission.gov.np), consolidated official text Section 21, p. 11; Section 25, pp. 13–14

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

None documented in the official reports we have reviewed so far.

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.