I AM AN ADVOCATE
- “I have Right to Protest”
- “I have right of assembly and expression”
- “I have right to freedom to demonstrate”
- “I have right to entitlement to public dissent”
- “I have liberty to engage in protest activities”
- “I have constitutional right to protest”
I advocate Ravi Drall practicing in Delhi & other States, have previliged to serve my Nation to ensure Justice. Now few amendments through Bill 2025 in Advocates Act, 1961 is bring brought by Central Govt. to ensure to supress our voices. All our Lawyer brother & sisters have staged a protest across the state against a proposed amendment to the Advocates Act, 1961, prohibiting them from boycotting and abstaining from court work.
Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
- The primary cause of the protests is the draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, which proposes changes to the Advocates Act of 1961. A key point of contention is the bill’s provisions that aim to restrict advocates from boycotting or abstaining from court work.
Lawyer Concerns:
- Advocates express concerns that the proposed amendments would:
- Jeopardize the independence and autonomy of the legal profession.
- Infringe upon the rights of bar associations and bar councils.
- Lead to potential disciplinary action for participating in legitimate protests.
- Increase the potential for lawyers to be held liable for the outcome of cases.
- A new clause in the draft amendment also says that the State Bar Council may not enrol any person who has been convicted of an offence punishable with imprisonment of three years or more.
- Entry of Foreign law firms in India.
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Advocate Amendment Bill 2025 lacks:
- Medical & Life Insurance Clause for all advocates of India.
- Protesting in Interest of Justice is Right of Advocate why it is taken away from us.
- No training programs for newly enrolled advocates.
- Entry of foreign legal firms in India which will work in joint venture with few elite legal firms.
- No security clause for advocate.
- Action against person who threat, attack lawyer.
- Special court for cases against accused who attack lawyer.
- Special penal provisions against accused attacking Advocate.
- The recent incidents of assault, killings, intimidation and regular threats caused to Advocates, due to proper and honest discharge of their professional duties, have reached alarming heights.
- Nothing has been mentioned in bill about the secutory of advocate.
- Every day Advocate who are delaing in heinous crimes either from complainant side or from accused side kepp getting threatening calls or direct threats.
- No mechanism has been made to redress the threats given to advocates.
- Special Penal provision shall be drafted if attack are made upon advocate.
- Case against such accused who attack upon advocates shall be tried in fast trach courts so that Advocates can fight for the rights of people without any fear.
- That they are able to perform all of their professional services/functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment or improper interferenсе,
- Advocates are sought to be questioned about privileged communication in order to make detection of alleged crime easier. However this militates against the basic tenets of the legal profession and violates the sanctity which the law enjoins the Advocate to maintain with respect to such privileged communication or materials. I advocate Ravi Drall was personally sent notice by Police to join investigation just because I met accused when we were planning for his anticipatory bail.
- Compensation in case of attack, such amount as may be determined by the Court for causing any act of violence against any Advocate.
- Any Advocate who is under the threat of being a victim of act of violence shall be entitled to Police Protection for a duration which the Court deems fit.
- The Central/state Government may provide for some insurance and medi-claim scheme for Advocates.
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Protest Actions:
- The protests have involved:
- Abstaining from judicial work, leading to empty courtrooms in Delhi’s lower courts.
- Organized protest marches.
- The burning of effigies symbolizing opposition to the proposed legislation.
- Chanting slogans and expressing strong disapproval of the bill.
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Organized Opposition:
- The protests are largely organized by the coordination committee of all district court bar associations across Delhi’s lower courts.
Key points of the bill that are causing protest:
- Section 35 A, which would limit the ability of advocates and associations to call for boycotts or abstention from court work.
- Section 45 B, which deals with “Liability for misconduct in certain cases” and is seen by lawyers as potentially leading to unfair liability.
In essence, the advocates’ protests reflect a strong defense of their perceived professional rights and a resistance to what they view as potentially restrictive and unfair legislation.
