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The Himachal Pradesh Bar Council on Wednesday took a strong stance against the Advocate Amendment Bill, emphasizing that it is completely unacceptable under any circumstances. However, the council urged advocates across the state to call off their strikes.
During a press conference, Lovnesh Kanwar, President of the Himachal Pradesh Bar Council addressed the media and stated that the Government of India had issued a letter on February 22, making it clear that the proposed amendments were merely suggestions and not final decisions. "There has been unrest among advocates regarding the Advocate Amendment Bill, and a lot of confusion has been created around it. We have called this press conference to clarify the matter. The so-called proposed amendments were nothing more than suggestions for which opinions were sought. Beyond this, nothing concrete has been done yet." Kanwar said. He further explained that any amendments to the bill will be made only after thorough consultation with all stakeholders. The government has assured that the proposed amendments will be placed in the public domain before any action is taken. Kanwar emphasised that the Himachal Pradesh Law Minister Yadvinder Goma, and the Secretary of Law Sharad Kumar Lagwal have also confirmed that nothing can be acted upon until the final draft is made public. They reassured that any future decisions regarding amendments will be taken only after consultation with all relevant parties. "The Law Minister has also assured us that whatever happens in the future, it will be done only after taking the Bar into confidence. I earnestly request all lawyers, please do not go on strike. These are merely proposed amendments, and no final decision has been taken. The government has only considered them for review. Even if any changes are made in the future, they will be discussed before implementation," he added. Kanwar also stressed that the Himachal Pradesh Bar Council stands united in protecting the interests of advocates and will not allow any legislation that is against the legal fraternity to be passed. "The Bar Council is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of lawyers. We guarantee that no document or amendment that goes against the legal profession will be passed. The entire Bar Council stands shoulder to shoulder with all advocates. If any such situation arises in the future, we will fight alongside you." he said. The Bar Council has assured lawyers that it will continue to oppose any decision that adversely affects their profession. As a result, the Bar Council has urged all lawyers to call off their strike, assuring them that their concerns will be addressed through proper channels. (ANI)
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