India, Aug. 29 -- Odisha State Bar Council has directed lawyers engaged in other professions, including business, and not practising law in courts, to surrender their practising licences within a month.

"There are allegations that some lawyers are doing jobs in private companies and government entities and also getting engaged in business activities after securing licences to practise law. By doing this, they are violating the norms as prescribed by the Advocates Act, 1961," the lawyers' body said in a letter to all district bar associations of Odisha.

Citing sections in the Advocates Act, the council said an advocate is not supposed to personally engage in any business; but he may be a sleeping partner in a firm doing business provided...