The Bar Council recommends to those who obtained special license to practice law in 2020 not to take the bar exam.
Under an amendment to the Legal Profession Act in 2020, those who have completed their studies until a bar examination will be given special permission to practice law after completing a special training program.
However, they are now required to take the first bar examination.
Vilimale MP Ahmed Usham proposed a bill to remove the clause from the act and prevent them from taking the bar examination.
Speaking to the Judiciary Committee of the Parliament, Bar Council President Ismail Wisham said the amendment to the law to issue special permits would be fully implemented if special permit holders were not required to take the bar examination.
Visham said the law was amended to give special permission to some because a bar examination was not prepared at the time, but now the situation is different and they are preparing for an international level examination, he said.
Visham said he would like to see a decision before October 20, regardless of what the parliament decides as it is the last day to register for the bar exam.
The fees previously set for bar examination was MVR 10,000 which brought with it public scrutiny. The Bar Council has now decreased the fee to MVR 6,500. Visham said the fee was reduced after many activities planned by the Bar Council were postponed.
Visham said the Attorney General's Office has sent some amendments to the law to include a system to raise funds for the Bar Council and a one year training program for lawyers. He said he hoped the amendments would be sent to the parliament very soon.
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