Kochi, June 20 (IANS) A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Friday allowed the appeal filed by advocate Yeshwanth Shenoy, President of the Kerala High Court Advocate Association against the disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Kerala Bar Council against him.

This fresh relief comes after his plea was initially dismissed by the Single Judge Bench.

On Friday the order of the Single Judge was set aside by the Division Bench of Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice V.M. Syam Kumar.

The Kerala High Court set aside the order of a Single Judge that had refused to interfere with the disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Bar Council of Kerala in 2023 against Yeshwanth Shenoy.

Trouble started for Shenoy when suo moto contempt proceedings were initiated against him after former High Court Justice Mary Joseph filed a complaint stating that he shouted and harassed her while appearing before her court.

Justice Mary Joseph even stated that Shenoy threatened to get her expelled from the seat.

The suo moto proceedings were later closed by a Division Bench last year.

The Bar Council of Kerala had also initiated suo moto proceedings alleging violation of Standards of Professional Conduct and Etiquette, based on the Judge’s letter.

Shenoy on the other hand filed an in-house complaint against the Judge but the then Chief Justice decided not to proceed with the same.

Shenoy then challenged the Bar Council of Kerala’s notice stating that if the action was based on a complaint, the council could not have initiated suo moto proceedings against him.

He further alleged that the complaint was not in the prescribed format.

The Single Judge Bench however held that the Council considered the Judge’s letter to be a complaint.

The Council after receiving the complaint held a meeting and it was unanimously decided to register a complaint.

Following this, they sent the show cause notice to Shenoy and upon receiving his reply, a resolution was passed referring the matter to the Disciplinary Committee.

This order has now been set aside by the Division Bench.

–IANS

sg/rad