Kochi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Kerala on Wednesday and take part in a series of programmes here, including the inauguration of the BJP-led NDA's election convention.

The prime minister will land at Cochin International Airport at 11.30 am. He will then travel to the naval base before heading by road to Marine Drive for his first event--the golden jubilee celebrations of the Dheevara Sabha.

Later, he will take part in a roadshow beginning from the entrance of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium at around noon.

At 12.30 pm, the prime minister will participate in an official programme of the central government where he will inaugurate and dedicate to the nation several key development projects.

Around 1 pm, Modi will inaugurate the NDA's Kerala election rally at the stadium.

The convention will mark the formal launch of the alliance's campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.

Organisers say around 50,000 party workers are expected to attend the event.

Leaders and workers from several NDA partners, including Bharath Dharma Jana Sena and Twenty20, will also take part.

After completing the programmes in Kochi, Modi will leave for Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu at around 2.30 pm.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Bar Council of India on Wednesday sought the urgent intervention of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant following a "deeply disturbing" incident where a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court reportedly sent a young advocate to

24-hour judicial custody over a procedural lapse.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) Chairperson and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, in a formal representation, termed the conduct of Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao "grossly inappropriate" and "damaging to the confidence of the Bar".

“I most respectfully request your Lordship to kindly take immediate institutional cognizance of the matter and call for the video recording of the proceedings, the order passed, and the surrounding circumstances.

“I further request that appropriate administrative action may kindly be considered, including withdrawal of judicial work from the learned Judge pending review, his immediate transfer to some far off High Court, and his nomination for appropriate judicial training/orientation on court management, judicial temperament, Bar-Bench relations, and proportional exercise of contempt/judicial authority,” Mishra wrote.

This representation is made to preserve the “dignity, moral authority and public confidence of the judiciary”, he said, adding, “Judges command the highest respect not by fear, but by fairness, patience, restraint and constitutional humility”.

The communication urged the CJI to intervene at the earliest to ensure that the faith of Bar, particularly young advocates, in the protective and corrective role of the judiciary is restored.

The controversy stems from proceedings on May 5.

According to the BCI, a video circulating online shows Justice Rao rebuking a young advocate who was unable to produce a specific order copy during a hearing.

The letter said that despite the advocate "repeatedly seeking pardon and mercy" and claiming he was in physical pain, the judge remained "unmoved".

The judge allegedly told the lawyer, "now you will learn," and mocked his experience before directing the Registrar and police personnel to take him into custody for 24 hours.

The BCI chairperson said that the judge’s actions lacked proportionality and fairness.

"The dignity of the court is not enhanced when a lawyer is made to beg for grace in open court and is still sent to custody for a procedural lapse," the letter said.

"A young lawyer... is an officer of the Court, still learning, still growing, and entitled to correction without humiliation," it added.

The bar body said that such actions create a "chilling effect" on the legal fraternity, particularly among junior members, and undermine the mutual respect required between the Bench and the Bar.