The Madras High Court said on Thursday that the legal profession has reached the “most worst condition” as the sole objective of a number of lawyers nowadays is “fill their pockets”, PTI reported.

Justice N Kirubakaran made this oral observation while hearing a writ petition that advocates Bhaskar Maduram and Lenin Kumar have filed. The two lawyers have challenged the new election guidelines that the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has introduced.

“A person who did not even pass eighth standard got a masters degree through open university and became advocate and started an association,” the judge noted. Such people had put up big cutouts in front of the High Court ahead of elections to the lawyers’ body, along with photos of retired judges and Indian Administrative Service officers, he said. “It is worrying that such high-profile persons are supporting these people.”

The bar council’s special committee on January 24 had passed a resolution on the elections that are scheduled for March 28. The rules mandate that only advocates who have practised law at a stretch for 10 years can contest the election. Apart from this, lawyers who have been punished for contempt of court, those holding official position in political parties, and those facing disciplinary proceedings before the state bar council will not be eligible to contest.

The judgment will be delivered on Friday, Justice Kirubakaran said.