Lawyers at the Capital’s six district courts will on Thursday abstain from work in protest against the reported suggestions by the Bar Council of India (BCI) to the Law Commission to recommend amendments to the Advocates Act to impose fines, penalties on lawyers and make them liable to bear litigants’ losses in case they go on strike.
The call for abstention from the courts has been given by the Co-ordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations of Delhi.
‘Reports baseless’
Secretary-general of the Co-ordination Committee, Neeraj, said in a release that though the BCI Chairman had clarified in a meeting with representatives of the Committee that the media reporting regarding the recommendations to the Law Commission was baseless and distorted it was not disclosed what the recommendations were.
Members of the High Level Committee set up by the BCI to suggest amendments to the Advocates’ Act for making provisions for disciplinary proceedings against lawyers were not conversant with the ground realities of lower courts.
Further, 90 per cent of them were from Delhi, Mr. Neeraj charged, suggesting that the advocates from across the country should have representation in it.
Streamlining system
Mr. Neeraj further said that a proposal would be sent to the Union Law Minister and the Chairman and Members of the Law Commission that amendments to the Advocates’ Act be carried out along with the Judicial Accountability Bill and the Advocates (Protection) Bill to effectively streamline the judicial delivery system.
