Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], March 6 : Advocates from the Himachal Pradesh High Court protested the proposed amendments to the Advocates Act in Shimla on Thursday.
The protest march, organized by the Bar Association of HP High Court, commenced from the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and culminated at the Raj Bhawan. The legal fraternity raised strong objections to the anticipated changes in the law, arguing that they would infringe upon the independence of the legal profession and undermine the rights of advocates across the country.
Former Advocate General of Himachal Pradesh and senior advocate Shravan Dogra voiced strong opposition to the amendments, stating that the very intention behind proposing such changes was questionable.
"The government argues that the bill is only in the proposed stage and that its final form will be decided later. But we refuse to wait until it is finalized 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 Shrawan Dogra, former advocate general
Dogra further emphasized that the proposed amendments were not minor changes but a direct assault on advocates' independence.
"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 (BCI) has not taken a clear stance on the issue, leaving room for ambiguity.
"The statements coming from the Bar Council are not out rightly opposing the bill. While they acknowledge the concerns of advocates, they are not taking a firm stand against it. Today's protest in Himachal Pradesh is just the beginning. This movement needs to spread across the country because the proposed amendments will impact thousands of advocates. If this bill passes, the mechanism through which complaints against advocates are handled will see direct interference, leading to a biased process. That is why we are protesting," he said.
The president of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Bar Association, Piyush Verma, highlighted the advocates' collective decision to organize the protest march.
"Yesterday, we formed a State Action Committee with 30 members, and it was unanimously decided that we would hold a peaceful protest march from the Himachal Pradesh High Court to Raj Bhawan today. Despite a lack of coordination between the Bar Council and other legal organizations, there is a growing sense of unity among advocates nationwide. We have seen this before. When changes were made to the IPC and CrPC, stakeholders were assured that amendments would only be introduced after thorough consultation. However, they were implemented regardless. This is exactly what we fear now. A bill has already been drafted, and it is on the verge of being finalized, which is why we are protesting," said Verma.
Verma pointed out that the letter regarding the amendments was issued on February 17, and objections were invited until February 28. However, instead of a response from the concerned legal bodies, a letter from the Finance Controller was issued on February 28, adding to the confusion.
"The letter should have come from the concerned authority, such as the Bar Council of India or the Himachal Pradesh Bar Council. If an official statement is issued confirming that these amendments will not impact advocates, then our protest will automatically come to an end. Until then, we will continue our movement," he said.
With over 8,000 advocates in the Shimla district alone potentially affected by the amendments, the legal fraternity remains firm in its demand for complete transparency and consultation before any changes are made to the Advocates Act.