In a significant procedural ruling, the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) has clarified that the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.) does not mandate the filing of a ‘Vakalatnama’ or a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from a previous counsel for filing a bail application. The Court held that demanding an NOC is merely a matter of “good practice” and cannot override the accused’s fundamental right to be represented by a lawyer of their choice.

The Division Bench comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Abdhesh Kumar Chaudhary made these observations while granting bail to Smt. Manorama Shukla , a woman convicted in a dowry death case who has been incarcerated for nearly 13 years.

Key Ruling: NOC and Vakalatnama Not Mandatory

The legal issue arose when the appellant’s

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