(1)Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, all persons who, immediately before the date on which the provisions of Chapter III are brought into force in the Union territory of Pondicherry, were entitled to practise the profession of law (whether by way of pleading or acting or both) under any law in force in the said Union territory or who would have been so entitled had they not been in public service on the said date, shall for the purposes of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 17, be deemed to be persons who were entered as advocates on the roll of a High Court under the Indian Bar Councils Act, 1926 (38 of 1926), and every such person may, on an application made in this behalf within such time as may be specified by the Bar Council of Madras, be admitted as an advocate on the State roll maintained in respect of the said Union territory.