The Bar Council of India (BCI) has stated that under Rule III of the BCI rules “wearing of advocate’s gown shall be optional except when appearing in the Supreme Court or in High courts”, reported the Times of India, and under Rule IV, “wearing of black coat is not mandatory” during summer.
The relaxed dress code, communicated in a letter of 16 July by the BCI, was a response to a letter sent on 2 June by the Tamil Nadu Federation of Women’s Lawyers, requesting the exemption because of the inordinate heat in summer, particularly in Tamil Nadu.