Review petition filed against SC’s order allowing MPs/MLAs to practice law

General News: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court in connection with its previous order allowing Members of Parliament (MPs) and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to practice any other profession besides being Parliamentarian.

In a verdict delivered on September 25, the apex court had ruled that the legislators could not be banned from practising as lawyers in courts.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on the legal practice by MPs, MLAs and Member of Legislative Council (MLCs) was then dismissed by a three-judge bench.

The Supreme Court had said that there is no law that debars the MPs, MLAs and MLCs from practising as lawyers in court.

The initial petition was also filed by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay. He had contended that allowing MPs, MLAs and MLCs to practice in a court of law amounts to the violation of the fundamental right to equality before the law as enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution.

[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]