The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Regional Office, Chennai, has released a notice dated 25 August 2026 for empanelment of Advocates to represent ESIC before various courts and tribunals across the Tamil Nadu Region. A total of 124 advocates are proposed to be empanelled across 22 judicial forums spanning the Principal Bench and Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, the Central Administrative Tribunal Chennai Bench, Employees’ Insurance Courts, Labour Courts, Magistrate Courts and Consumer Forums at Chennai, Madurai, Salem, Vellore, Cuddalore, Trichy, Thanjavur/Kumbakonam, Krishnagiri/Hosur, Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil and Thoothukudi. Eligible practicing advocates must submit offline applications in the prescribed format by 8 September 2026 by post or in person to the ESIC Regional Office at Nungambakkam, Chennai.
Important – Read Before You Apply: Four things every applicant must know before filling the form. First, advocates currently on the existing ESIC panel at the Regional Office Chennai or the Sub Regional Offices at Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli must also apply afresh – the current panel ceases to exist the moment the new panel is constituted; assuming continuity without applying will result in removal from the panel. Second, the application form is different depending on whether you are a fresh applicant or an existing panel counsel – fresh applicants must use Annexure-B and existing panel counsels must use Annexure-C; using the wrong form will make the application non-standard. Third, this is an empanelment, not employment – being empanelled with ESIC does not confer any right to claim allotment of cases or legal work, and the panel tenure is ordinarily three years subject to earlier termination by the Competent Authority without notice or reason. Fourth, the window is only 14 days from the date of notification to the last date – applications must reach the Chennai Regional Office by 8 September 2026; late applications will not be entertained under any circumstances.
ESIC Tamil Nadu Advocate Empanelment 2026 – Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Regional Office, No. 143, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034 |
| Notice | Empanelment of Advocates for ESIC in Tamil Nadu Region |
| Notice Date | 25 August 2026 |
| Total Proposed Empanelment | 124 (tentative, court-wise) |
| Nature | Empanelment – not employment |
| Panel Tenure | Ordinarily 3 years, subject to earlier termination |
| Who Can Apply | Practicing advocates enrolled with Bar Council of India/State Bar Council, with prescribed experience |
| Application Mode | Offline only – by post or in person |
| Application Fee | Not prescribed |
| Last Date to Apply | 8 September 2026 |
| Submission Address | Regional Director (I/c), ESI Corporation, Regional Office, No. 143, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034 |
| Official Website | esic.gov.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notice issued | 25 August 2026 |
| Applications may be submitted from | 25 August 2026 |
| Last date for receipt of applications | 8 September 2026 |
| Interaction/interview (shortlisted candidates) | To be communicated separately by registered post and/or email |
The notice does not specify a separate start date. Applications may be submitted any time from the notice date. There is no provision for extension of the last date.
Court-wise Proposed Empanelment
| S.No. | Court/Judicial Forum | Location | Proposed Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Principal Bench of Madras High Court | Chennai | 30 |
| 2 | Madurai Bench of Madras High Court | Madurai | 5 |
| 3 | NCLAT and NCLT | Chennai Bench | 2 |
| 4 | Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) | Chennai Bench | 10 |
| 5 | State Consumer Forum and District Consumer Forum | Chennai | 2 |
| 6 | District Consumer Forum | Madurai | 1 |
| 7 | Metropolitan Magistrate Court and Fast Track Court | Chennai | 7 |
| 8 | Employees’ Insurance Court (Principal Labour Court) | Chennai | 11 |
| 9 | Employees’ Insurance Court (Labour Court) | Vellore | 3 |
| 10 | Employees’ Insurance Court (Labour Court) | Cuddalore | 2 |
| 11 | Labour Court | Madurai | 10 |
| 12 | Magistrate Court | Madurai | 5 |
| 13 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Salem | 6 |
| 14 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Trichy | 3 |
| 15 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Thanjavur (Kumbakonam) | 2 |
| 16 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Krishnagiri (Hosur) | 2 |
| 17 | Labour Court, Additional Labour Court, JM Courts, Additional Munsif Court, DM and JM Court, Madukkarai | Coimbatore Court Complex | 6 |
| 18 | Additional Court-II | Erode | 1 |
| 19 | Tirupur Court | Tirupur Court Complex | 1 |
| 20 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Tirunelveli | 5 |
| 21 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Nagercoil | 5 |
| 22 | Employees’ Insurance Court and Judicial Magistrate Court | Thoothukudi | 5 |
| Total | 124 |
The proposed numbers are tentative. Mere application for a particular location does not confer any right to empanelment at that location. ESIC’s decision on location and empanelment is final.
Eligibility Criteria
Essential for all applicants:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from a recognised university in India.
- Active enrolment with the Bar Council of India or the State Bar Council, and in active practice at the Bar.
- Regular practice and standing at the Bar, with preference for documented experience in labour-law-related cases.
- Well versed in the Code on Social Security, 2020 (which subsumes the ESI Act, 1948), labour law, Civil and Criminal Procedure, and other relevant Acts and Codes.
- Sound professional reputation, good communication skills, and adequate office infrastructure (chamber, staff, communication facilities) at the city or town of the court for which empanelment is sought.
- Office at the place where empanelment is sought – this is mandatory, not desirable.
Experience Requirements:
| Forum | Minimum Experience |
|---|---|
| High Courts in Tamil Nadu (Principal and Madurai Bench) and CAT Chennai Bench | Minimum 10 years of professional practice |
| District-level courts, EI Courts, Labour Courts, Magistrate Courts and other forums | Minimum 5 years of professional practice |
Disqualifying Conditions:
- Pending disciplinary proceedings or adverse order from the Bar Council affecting professional conduct.
- Pending criminal case involving moral turpitude, or a recorded conviction.
- Actual or potential conflict of interest with ESIC.
- Past performance with ESIC found unsatisfactory.
- Suppression of material facts or submission of false information.
The Competent Authority may relax experience criteria or prescribe additional conditions at its discretion.
Application Fee
No application fee is prescribed in the notice. Application is free of cost.
Selection Process
- Duly filled application (Annexure-B for fresh applicants, Annexure-C for existing panel counsels) with supporting documents is submitted.
- The Competent Authority shortlists applications based on eligibility and suitability criteria decided by ESIC.
- Shortlisted advocates may be called for an interaction/interview before finalisation. Date, time, venue and mode are communicated by registered post with acknowledgement due and/or email; SMS may be used in exceptional circumstances.
- No TA/DA is admissible for attending the interaction.
- Advocates must bring original documents to the interaction.
- Final empanelment is communicated separately. Mere fulfilment of eligibility or application does not confer any right to be called for interaction or to be selected.
Canvassing in any form will lead to disqualification.
Documents to Submit with Application
- Copy of Law Degree and other educational qualifications
- Copy of valid Bar Council enrolment/registration certificate
- Copy of Bar Association identity card
- Government ID proof and PAN card copy
- Resume/CV with professional experience, areas of practice and important cases handled
- Copies of Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the last two financial years
- Two recent passport-size photographs
- Copies of judgments in labour-law-related cases where the advocate has appeared (wherever available)
- Undertaking and declaration regarding conflict of interest
How to Apply
- Download the official notice and the prescribed application forms (Annexure-B for fresh applicants, Annexure-C for existing panel counsels) from the ESIC official website – the direct link is in the Important Links table below.
- Read Annexure-A carefully to confirm eligibility, including the experience requirement for the specific court/forum applied for.
- Clearly mention in the application the name of the courts and locations for which empanelment is sought.
- Fill the application completely in the prescribed format. Applications in any other format will not be entertained.
- Attach all supporting documents listed above.
- Send the complete application by post or submit it in person to: Regional Director (I/c), ESI Corporation, Regional Office, No. 143, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034.
- Ensure the application reaches this address on or before 8 September 2026. Applications received after the last date will not be considered.
Important Instructions
- This is an empanelment process, not a government employment or recruitment. Empanelled advocates are not employees of ESIC.
- Being empanelled does not confer any right to claim allotment of cases or legal work from ESIC.
- Existing panel advocates at the ESIC Regional Office Chennai and Sub Regional Offices at Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli must apply afresh. The existing panel ceases to exist on constitution of the new panel.
- ESIC reserves the right to accept or reject any application, and to cancel, modify, postpone or withdraw the empanelment process without assigning any reason.
- Proposed empanelment numbers per court are tentative and may change.
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Official Notice PDF with Application Forms (Annexure-A, B, C) | Apply Now |
| ESIC Official Website | Apply Now |
Frequently Asked Questions – ESIC Tamil Nadu Advocate Empanelment 2026
Q1. How many advocates is ESIC Tamil Nadu proposing to empanel in 2026?
✅ 124 advocates across 22 courts and tribunals in the Tamil Nadu Region, including the Madras High Court (Principal and Madurai Benches), CAT Chennai, Employees’ Insurance Courts, Labour Courts and Magistrate Courts at 14 locations, as per the notice dated 25 August 2026. The numbers are tentative.
Q2. What is the last date to apply?
✅ 8 September 2026. Applications must physically reach the ESIC Regional Office, No. 143, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034 by this date. Late applications will not be entertained.
Q3. Is this a government job?
✅ No. This is an empanelment process, not government employment. Empanelled advocates represent ESIC before courts on a panel basis. Being on the panel does not make an advocate an employee of ESIC, and empanelment does not confer any right to claim allotment of cases or legal work.
Q4. Do existing ESIC panel advocates need to apply again?
✅ Yes, without exception. Advocates currently empanelled at the ESIC Regional Office Chennai or Sub Regional Offices at Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli must apply afresh using Annexure-C. The existing panel ceases to exist on constitution of the new panel.
Q5. What is the experience requirement for High Court empanelment?
✅ Minimum 10 years of professional practice is required for empanelment before the Principal Bench and Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court and the CAT Chennai Bench. For all other courts and forums, the minimum is 5 years.
Q6. What forms must be used for the application?
✅ Annexure-B for fresh applicants and Annexure-C for existing panel counsels. Both forms, along with the eligibility criteria (Annexure-A), are available in the official notice PDF linked in the Important Links table. Applications in any other format will not be entertained.
Q7. Is there an application fee?
✅ No. The notice does not prescribe any application fee. Submission is free of cost, by post or in person.
Q8. How will shortlisted advocates be informed about the interaction?
✅ By registered post with acknowledgement due and/or email to the address provided in the application. SMS may be used additionally in exceptional circumstances. No TA/DA is admissible for attending the interaction.
Q9. How long is the empanelment valid?
✅ Ordinarily 3 years from the date of empanelment, subject to earlier termination by the Competent Authority. ESIC may terminate the empanelment at any time without assigning a reason.
Q10. Can I apply for empanelment at multiple court locations?
✅ Yes. You may mention multiple courts and locations in a single application. However, mere application for a particular location does not confer any right to empanelment at that location – ESIC’s decision on allotment of location is final.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the Empanelment of Advocates notice dated 25 August 2026, released by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Regional Office, No. 143, Sterling Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 034, for 124 proposed advocate empanelments across 22 courts and tribunals in the Tamil Nadu Region. The last date for receipt of offline applications is 8 September 2026. This is an empanelment process and not government employment. Being empanelled does not confer any right to allotment of cases or legal work. Existing panel advocates must apply afresh. ESIC reserves the right to cancel or modify the process without assigning any reason. Candidates must download the official notice and application forms from esic.gov.in before applying. JobShouter.com is not associated with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation in any manner.
