Lawyers Fume Over Proposed Advocates Act Amendments

Kanpur : The legal fraternity in Kanpur has expressed strong discontent over the Union Law Minister's plan to hold a meeting to discuss amendments to the Advocates Act and matters related to insurance. Speaking on the issue, Pandit Ravindra Sharma, former President of the Lawyers’ Association, stated that there has been a long-standing national demand for the Advocate Protection Act to ensure the social security and safety of lawyers.

Responding to the call of the legal community, Law Minister of India, Arjun Ram Meghwal, has called a high-level meeting on December 8th to deliberate on insurance for advocates and possible amendments to the Advocates Act.

In light of this, Sharma urged the Law Minister to pass a proposal in the meeting for a ₹5 lakh health insurance scheme for advocates and their families, and to implement it during the current Lok Sabha session or link it with the Ayushman Yojana. Furthermore, he demanded a fixed deadline for the implementation of the Advocate Protection Act, which is currently pending with the Law Department, citing its necessity for the protection and survival of lawyers.

However, the major point of contention is the proposed amendment to the foundational law. Sharma conveyed the widespread anger among the legal society, stating, "The mere consideration of amending the Advocates Act has caused considerable outrage. The advocate community will absolutely not accept any interference or amendment to their Act."

When contact was made with the Law Minister's office, the association was advised to send their suggestions via email, which they promptly did to the Ministry of Law and Justice. Key figures present in this expression of dissent included Suresh Singh, Rajesh Tiwari, Jai Mala, Rajendra Shukla, Sanjeev Kapoor, Anoop Gupta, Shivam Gangwar, Gaurav Shukla, Pooja Gupta, Ayush Shukla, Veer Joshi, Indresh Mishra, Amar Deep, and Priyam, among others.

(Report by Sanjay Shukla)