Kerala Bar Council initiates disciplinary proceedings against KHCAA President Yeshwanth Shenoy

The Bar Council of Kerala has unanimously resolved to initiate suo motu disciplinary proceedings against advocate Yeshwanth Shenoy, the incumbent President of the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA), for a Facebook post allegedly containing defamatory remarks against Justice TR Ravi of Kerala High Court..At a meeting held on May 3, the Bar Council decided to invoke its powers under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961 (punishment of advocates for misconduct), to initiate fresh proceedings against Shenoy, following what it described as defamatory and inappropriate social media comments targeting a sitting judge of the Kerala High Court..The Facebook post was put by Shenoy came in the wake of a judgment delivered by Justice TR Ravi on May 2 in which the Court declined to quash earlier disciplinary proceedings initiated against Shenoy by the Bar Council in connection with an incident in the courtroom of Justice Mary Joseph in 2023.The single-judge bench found no illegality in the Bar Council's issuance of a show cause notice and permitted it to proceed with the inquiry..Shortly after the verdict, Shenoy took to Facebook to express his dissatisfaction, questioning the timing of the judgment and alluding to alleged personal connections between the judge, his son and Senior counsel George Poonthottam.Poonthottam had earlier been suspended by the KHCAA after he independently met with the Chief Justice of Kerala over a Bar-related issue concerning Justice A Badharudeen. Shenoy had objected to Poonthottam's intervention in a matter which the KHCAA was handling and it triggered disciplinary action against the senior counsel.In his Facebook post, Shenoy urged members of the legal fraternity not to view the judgment as a 'gurudakshina' but still commented on what he called the 'coincidence' of the relationship between the judge and Poonthottam.."The judgment was reserved in June 2024 and I am surprised about it being pronounced in a 'vacation court'. My limitation anyway begins after reopening and I am only happy about the fireworks that will welcome us back!!!!" Shenoy wrote in the post.He also remarked that he had taken on "corruption, narcotics lobby and quarry lobby" and was prepared for a long legal battle..This is not the first time the Bar Council has taken up proceedings against Shenoy.In the earlier matter involving Justice Mary Joseph, Shenoy had challenged the very jurisdiction of the Council to initiate proceedings, claiming that the suo motu label was incorrect as the Council had acted based on a judge's letter.However, the High Court found no procedural lapse in the Council's actions..[Read Notification]