The Madras High Court Advocates Association decided on Monday (June 27) to go on strike from Tuesday (June 28) in protest against the recent amendments made by the High Court to the Advocates Act. The changes were made to the Madras High Court rules under Section 34(1) of the Advocates Act.
The amendments were aimed at stopping lawyers from indulging in professional misconduct at various courts of Tamil Nadu. Under the new rules, the Madras High Court can debar unruly advocates from practicing in courts of the state, including the High Court.
Earlier, the power to debar advocates for professional misconduct in Tamil Nadu lay with the Bar Council of India and the Tamil Nadu Bar Association.
That seems to be the major bone of contention for the protesting advocates who feel that the High Court should not enter into the territory of the Bar Council and the Bar Association.
At a meeting on June 27, the Madras High Court Advocates Association decided to:
- Abstain from all courts and tribunals from June 28
- Call a ”rail roko” protest at the Chennai Central Railway Station on June 29.
- Call a “burning draconian rules” protest on July 1 at the Aavin Gate of the Madras High Court.
The Advocates Association also demanded that the Bar Council of India and the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry should revoke the suspension of the advocates facing disciplinary proceedings.
#MadrasHC
India Legal Bureau