Protest against proposed changes in Advocate Act held in Shimla

Lawyers practising in the High Court of Himachal Pradesh held a protest against the proposed amendments to the Advocates Act in Shimla on Thursday.

The protest march, organised by the Bar Association of HP High Court, commenced from the High Court, and culminated at the Raj Bhawan. The legal fraternity raised strong objections to the proposed changes in the law, arguing that these would infringe upon the independence of the legal profession and undermine the rights of the advocates across the country.

Former Advocate General of Himachal Pradesh and Senior Advocate Shravan Dogra opposed the amendments, stating that the very intention behind the proposed changes was questionable.

“The government argues that the Bill is only in the proposal stage and its final form will be decided later. But we refuse to wait until it is finalised to voice our concerns. The very thought of altering the truth of our profession is fundamentally wrong. Your intentions are not pure. You have attempted to introduce such draconian laws in various sectors at different times, and each time, those sectors have opposed them. Now, this burden has been placed on the legal profession. What is the sudden need to change this Act?” said Dogra.

He alleged, “This is not about small amendments; this is an attack on the independence of the legal profession. When the Bill was introduced in February, it received widespread opposition. While we were told that only suggestions were being collected, this is merely an eyewash. They will formally complete the process of objections, enact the law, and we will be left fighting it in court. Our independence is under threat. If we lose our independence, how can we protect the interests of the people we represent?” he said.

According to Dogra, the Bar Council of India has not taken a clear stance on the issue, leaving room for ambiguity.

The president of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Bar Association, Piyush Verma, highlighted the advocates’ collective decision to organise the protest march.