The District Bar Association, Nagpur is completing 148 years of its glorious history. Nagpur is a cosmopolitan city with a secular background and the Karmabhoomi of The Great Mahatma Gandhi, Sevagram is located hardly 75 Kilometersaway from Nagpur. The present City of Nagpur was founded at the beginning of 18th century by Gond Raja Bhakta Buland Shah. Subsequently it became the capital of the Bhosala Rulers. It came under the British influence after the Bhoslas lost the battle of Sitabuldi in 1817. In 1853 the Bhosla Rule collapsed and it was devour by the East India Company. Central Province was formed in 1861 and Nagpur became its capital. In 1903 Berar was annexed to it and it became C.P. & Berar and remained till 1956. Presently it enjoys the status of second capital of Maharashtra.

The judicial system came to be established at Nagpur for the first time under the British rule and the post of Judicial Commissioner was created in 1861. The Judicial commissioner was not only in charge of Judicial Administration but looked after police and jails also. The first Central Province Courts Act was passed on 7th April 1865 by the Governor General in Council which came into force on 1st May, 1965. Section 4 of this Act provided for 8 grades of courts, the lowest being Court of Tahsildar second class and the highest in the province being Court of Judicial Commissioner for the whole province. Initially the civil and criminal jurisdiction vested in the revenue authorities. In due course civil jurisdiction was taken away from revenue authorities and separate civil courts were established, however the criminal jurisdiction continued vested in them. The judicial system underwent reforms from time to time.

Sir B. K. Bose was the first Indian to be appointed as a Judge of the Small Causes who was the first Indian to become the Additional Judicial Commissioner (A.J.C.). Sir B.K. Bose always remembered as an ideal Judge.

The other eminent lawyer from Nagpur who became the A.J.C. was Mr. M. B.Kinkhede who was the worthy son of a worthy father, Late Rai Bahadur Baburao dada Kinkhede said to be the first lawyer of Nagpur Bar.

In 1904 the C. P. Courts Act 1865 was completely overhauled and the Civil Judiciary was completely separated from the executive so that Deputy Commissioners and Tahsildar were relieved of all civil work, unconnected with rent suits and the system of Divisional Judges, District Judges, Subordinate Judges and Munsiffs were introduced. Full Sessions powers and appellate powers were given to the Divisional Judges. The first District Judge to be posted at Nagpur was Mr. R. B. SharatchandraSanyal I.C.S. on 06.02.1904.

The reports of Privy Council are still fortunately available in the District Bar Association Library and High Court Judges Library at Nagpur. In those reports there is reference to the year 1873. The total number of lawyers practicing in all the courts at Nagpur was 14. It was in 1876 the Bar Association was formed as it gained a sizable strength or may be because of the impact of coming into contract of British Lawyers (barristers) who started practicing at Nagpur and must have imparted the idea of the formation of Association of Lawyers on the British pattern. The bar gathered strength from year to year.

The new building was occupied in the year 1977. At that time there were about 300 lawyers. Now the strength of lawyers is more than 9048(about 8110 registered as members of the bar and remaining floating lawyers). Nagpur District Bar Association has the proud privilege of providing scores of Judges to the higher judiciary.

We have the proud privilege of the generation of eminent lawyer Mr. M. R. Alias BhayyasahebBobde, leader of the bar of the Central Province and Berar for more than 35 years. His statue at the Akashwani square in front of the District Court will continue to inspire generations of lawyers to contribute in legal fraternity.

Advocate V. R. Manohar, the former Advocate General of Maharashtra and B. V. Gaikwad were eminent jurist of the country need special mention. For the last more than 50 years he is known for his knowledge of laws of all branches and for persuasive advocacy with excellence.

The District Bar Association has been making improvements in the facilities provided to the lawyers. The bar organizes training to the lawyers appearing for Judicial Services Examinations as well as APP aspirants training programme. All the executive committees have made a major contribution for the growth and welfare of the Bar.

District Bar Association have a privilege for getting new Annexed L-shape building for the District Court Nagpur. After strenuous efforts by the District Bar Association and with the support of our Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Shri.DevendraFadnavis, who happens to be member of the Bar Association.

The District Bar Association has always been alive to the social challenges and has always worked for the betterment of public at large and for its members in particular. The District Bar Association has always stood up to the challenges and has come forward to share its social responsibilities. The events mentioned hereinafter pertaining to the activities of the Association would provide glimpse of it. The District Bar Association is committed to provide better working conditions to its member and to work for their betterment in all the fields of life. The District Bar Association takes this occasion to reiterate its commitment and shall continue to work for its goals zealously.

Compiled and Edited by
Adv. Usha Manikpure (Gujar)

---

1. The association shall be named “The District Bar Association, Nagpur.
2. The registered office of the Association shall be at Nagpur.
3. The Association shall be a perpetual body corporate, capable of acquiring property, and it shall be competent to sue and be sued in its name.
4. The aims and object of the Association are:-
(a) To provide facilities for the study of Law by maintaining a Library for the use of its members.
(b) To protect the professional interests of its members.
(c) To do, exercise and perform all acts as are necessary to carry out the objects of the Association as set forth in the Memorandum of Association, and to do any other acts as may be deemed conducive to the best interest of the profession.
(d) To take over the assets and liabilities of the present District Bar Association, as on the date of its registration.
5. Unless there is anything repugnant to the subject of context :-
a. “Association” means the “District Bar Association, Nagpur.
b. “Month” means a month according to the Gregorian calendar.

6. All the members of the present District Bar Association on its register of Subscribers in the month of Registration of the Association, shall be deemed to be its members. Such members shall be required to fill in the prescribed form for admission, and shall be liable to pay the arrears due by them.
In addition to the members as per rule 6 above, the following persons shall be entitled to the membership of the Association :
a. All Law Graduates, who are practicing as Law years in Civil, Revenue, Criminal, Labor, Income Tax, Sales Tax or other Courts on payment of prescribed admission fee and monthly subscription, as decided by the Executive committee from time to time and who agree to abide by the rules and Bye Laws of the Association. Such Members will be called “Regular Members.”
b. All Law Graduates connected with Law and the profession of legal practitioners including Judges, retired Judges, Lecturers in Law, Members of Parliament of State Legislature on payment of Rs. 11/- per years or such other amount, as may be fixed by the Executive committee from time to time and who agree to abide by the rules and bye laws of the Association. Such members will be called “Sympathizer Members.”
7. Any legal practitioner who is entitled to practice, a greeting to be bound by the Rules and Bye-Laws of the Association for the time being in force, may be admitted as a member by the Executive Committee, provided, he makes an application for admission in the prescribed form accompanied by such admission fee and current subscription as may be in force for the time being.
(a) The Sympathizer Members will not be eligible to vote in Annual General Meeting. 8. On receipt of the application under Rule 7, the secretary shall circulate it among the members of the Executive committee for their approval, or place it before the next meeting of the Executive Committee as may be deemed suitable. The decision of the Executive Committee shall be communicated to the applicant within a month. The Executive Committee shall not be bound to assign any reason for its decision.
9. Every members of the Association shall pay during the first fortnight his monthly subscription in advance at such rate per month as may be determined by the Association, He shall also pay all other dues for any month by the end of the month.
a. No Member shall remain in arrears of subscription for more than six months. On a member being found in arrears of subscription for six months or more, the General Secretary shall issue him a notice asking him to clear off the said arrears within three months from the date of the notice. In case the arrears are not cleared off within the time granted by the above notice, the defaulting members shall automatically ceases to be a member after the lapse of the said period.
10. A member of the Association shall be liable to pay all dues payable under these Rules and Bye Laws till he ceases to be a member of Association.
11. A member who is in arrears of subscription or of other dues for three months shall not be entitled to vote at any meetings either of the Association or of the Executive Committee.
12. Every member shall have one vote which he may exercise personally. No proxies shall be allowed at any meetings of the Association.
13. Any member who desires to resign the membership of the Association must send in his written resignation to the Secretary one week before the expiry of the month failing which, he shall be liable to pay the subscription for the next month.
14. The Association shall have power to remove any member from its Register of members for :-
a. Being in arrears of subscription on their dues of the Association for four months;
b. Being removed from the Roll of Legal practitioners of the Province;
c. Gross misbehavior ; Or,
d. Any other just or sufficient cause.
15. The executive committee may re-admit any member who has resigned or whose name has been removed from the Register of Members under Rule 14(a), (c) or (d) provided he pays all arrears due be him.
16. The members removed under Rule 14(a), (c) or (d) shall also be liable to pay a fresh admission fee. The Executive Committee, however, may exempt any person who has resigned, or, removed under Rule 14 (b) but Subsequently re admitted on the Roll of Legal practitioners of the Province, from payment of the admission fee.