Expressing concern over the safety of Advocates, the Bar Council of India has passed a resolution urging the Central government to frame an effective law for the ‘protection of lives, interests and privilege’ of advocates and their families.
As per the regulatory body, it passed this resolution during its joint meeting with all state Bar Councils on Sunday, held under the Chairpersonship of Senior Advocate and BCI chief Manan Kumar Mishra.
The state Bar Councils further demanded the Union of India to provide appropriate compensation in the event of any attack on an advocate or their family members, or any bodily harm caused to them or their family.
The joint meeting also adopted resolutions on framing of uniform rules for enrolment fee; approval of the Bar Council of India Rules for Registration and Regulation of Foreign Lawyers and Foreign Law Firms in India, 2022; criteria for being a voter or member in the state Bar Councils or for being a member of the Bar Council of India, and the issue regarding the resolution of strikes staged by Advocates.
The development followed the shooting of a lady by a suspended lawyer at Saket Court on Friday, sending shock waves across the legal fraternity.
The development followed the shooting of a lady by a suspended lawyer at Saket Court on Friday, sending shock waves across the legal fraternity.
M. Radha, (40), was shot at thrice after being chased by suspended lawyer Kameshwar Kumar Singh at the Saket court complex in broad daylight on April 24. Another person, Ajay Singh Chauhan, was also injured in the incident.
This was the second incident of firing involving a lawyer this month. Earlier on April 1 this year, a 51-year-old Advocate was shot by two bike-borne assailants in Dwarka Sector 1.
The deceased was identified as Virender Kumar, a practicing Advocate of Dwarka Court. Police said that the lawyer had been provided security cover after an attack several years ago, but the same was removed in 2021.
Recently, the Supreme Court, taking cognisance of the security of advocates, judges and litigants, had directed all High Courts across the country to submit their responses regarding installation of CCTV cameras in court premises.
The orders were passed by the Bench of Justice Ravindra Bhat and Justice Dipankar Datta on a batch of petitions seeking directions for special measures to enhance the security of court premises in all courts of the country, as well as the people involved in various capacities with the justice delivery system.