Congress backs lawyers in their protest against amended Advocates Bill

The chairman of the AICC department on law, Abhishek Singhvi, said there were three primary concerns that the party intended to flag in the proposed Bill. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Congress on Thursday (February 20, 2025) extended its support to the legal fraternity that is opposing the proposed amendments to the Advocates Act, 1961.

In a statement, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) department on Law, Human Rights and RTI expressed solidarity with the protesting lawyers, and said the proposed Bill was not only “poorly drafted” but also failed to address the pertinent issues faced by the legal fraternity.

Also read: Lawyers in Delhi courts to abstain from work over proposed Advocates (Amendment) Bill

The government plans to amend the Advocates Act by making sweeping changes in the definitions of a legal practitioner and law graduate. The Law Ministry has put the draft Bill on its website for public feedback and comments.

The principal Opposition party urged the Centre to put the amendments on hold until an extensive nationwide consultation process was conducted, and inputs from relevant stakeholders were sought on the very law that would govern their profession and livelihood.

Three concerns

The chairman of the department, Abhishek Singhvi, said there were three primary concerns that the party intended to flag in the proposed Bill.

“…Instead of creating a proper forum to allow lawyers to raise their grievances and issues, the proposed Bill takes away lawyers’ rights to raise legitimate demands by way of a boycott or by abstaining from work, with the imposition of penal consequences,” Mr. Singhvi said.

“The proposed Bill allows for excessive government interference in the composition, practice and procedure of professional regulatory bodies, thereby deviating from the principle of self-autonomy and self-independence as upheld by the Supreme Court,” the Congress leader, also a senior advocate, noted.

On Wednesday (February 19, 2025), the Bar Council of India (BCI) also submitted its objections on the draft Advocates Amendment Bill, 2025, to Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

“It is shocking that in the draft publication, several material changes have been made by some officials and Ministry of Law. The very concept of autonomy and independence of the bar is attempted to be demolished by this draft. The lawyers throughout the country are agitated and strong protest is bound to occur if such deliberate and draconian provisions are not omitted or amended immediately,” BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said in the letter.