Condemning the amendments made to the Advocates Act 1961 by the Madras High Court, advocates staged rail roko at three places in the district on Wednesday.
The protesting advocates said the amendments made to Section 34 of the Advocates Act would affect the rights of lawyers and litigants as well.
In other words, the amendments would have adverse impact on the basic human rights and democratic rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The advocates while presenting their case before the court could not even raise their voice, if the amendments were implemented.
Led by Tirunelveli Bar Association President P. Muthuramalingam and Secretary S.R. Rajeshwaran, the lawyers took out a rally from Tirunelveli Junction to the railway junction, where they blocked the Chendur Express Train even as it was being brought back from Tiruchendur to Tirunelveli Railway Junction around 12.30 p.m. for regular maintenance and cleaning of coaches.
The police picked up 183 lawyers, including two women from the protest venue.
Similar protests were organised at Sankarankovil and Tenkasi where the police picked up 106 advocates. The lawyers were released in the afternoon.
Thoothukudi
Forty-one lawyers in parts of Thoothukudi district were arrest while attempting to stage a rail roko in Thoothukudi and Srivaikuntam. While 21 lawyers were held near a railway track at Thoothukudi Melur station, 20 were arrested near railway track in Srivaikuntam station.
