The chief justice of Calcutta High Court has exempted lawyers from wearing black gowns because of the heat.
“Taking note of the weather, wearing of the advocate gowns is exempted till reopening of the court after summer vacation on June 10,” said a Friday notification, signed by the court’s registrar-general.
Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam’s order came after “consideration of the on-going inclement weather combined with the heat wave”.
The court goes on summer vacation on May 25 and reopens on June 10.
This is the second consecutive year of such an exemption because of heat.
The Advocates Act requires lawyers to wear black coats during proceedings. In the Supreme Court and the high courts, the advocates are required to additionally wear a black gown along with a white neckband shaped like a bow.
In May 2020, the Supreme Court had for the first time allowed advocates to appear before it without the mandatory black coats and gowns, on the ground that these clothes could help spread Covid.
Black is the ubiquitous symbol of the legal profession across the world.
Black gowns and winged collars owe their origins to England. The code travelled with the British to their colonies.
