Maharashtra, Goa Bar Council to protest against Law Commission's draft proposal

In protest against the Law Commission's proposed amendments in Advocates Act 1961, also known as the 'Amendment Bill 2017', the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, following the appeal made by the Bar Council of India, has decided to abstain from court work for one day.

"The said proposed amendments are undemocratic and Anti-lawyers. Therefore, the Bar Council of India has given call to all the Bar Councils and Bar Associations to abstain from Court Work on March 31," an official release stated.

The Council's strong reaction came in the wake of the Commission's 266th report titled 'The Advocates Act, 1961 (Regulation of Legal Profession)' which underscored the need of reviewing Regulatory Mechanism and Regulatory bodies and recommended comprehensive amendments in the Advocates Act.

The Council said the Bill proposes to 'shut the mouth of the Indian Advocates'; the legal profession and legal education of the country.

"The Advocates are to act as slaves of the judicial officers and judges. Instead of elections, after 69 years of independence, the mechanism of nomination by High Court and the Supreme Court is proposed to be adopted," it said.

"Therefore the Council resolves to write to the Supreme Court Bar Association, the Bar Associations of different High Courts of the country, the co-ordination Committee of Bar Associations of Delhi and NCR and all the Bar Associations of the country highlighting the aforementioned issues and to oppose it tooth and nail. If need be, the Clarification and calls may be given through advertisements," it added.

The Council opined that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Finance Minster Arun Jaitley and other Members of parliament are explained the 'truth', they will immediately reject the proposals made by the Law Commission.