Lawyers up in arms against Legal Defence System policy; indefinite strike begins…
Faridkot, July 7 (Alexander D’Souza):
Following a call by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Punjab Bar Association, lawyers from the District Bar Association, Faridkot, have completely halted work starting today. Declaring a decisive battle against the current ‘Legal Defence Counsel System’ (LADC) policy, the lawyers have decided to extend the strike indefinitely.
The lawyers allege that this new policy is completely depriving them-especially young advocates- of employment opportunities.
What is the issue? Why are the lawyers upset?
During the protest, Bar Association President Gurjagpal Singh Brar and Secretary Simar Vijay Singh Verma addressed the lawyers. They stated that legal aid cases- which were previously assigned to panel advocates- are now being allocated to a select few individuals under the new LADC policy. This is eliminating equal professional opportunities for lawyers across the state.
“Our agitation is not against providing free legal aid to the needy. We want every citizen to receive legal assistance, but the policy must be transparent and free from discrimination. It should be implemented through the District Bar Association, just as it was before”: Gurjagpal Singh Brar (President, Bar Association).
Three main demands of the lawyers:
The lawyers’ association has made it clear that the strike will continue until the following demands are met:
Restoration of the old panel system: The current LADC system should be immediately withdrawn, and the old panel system should be reinstated through the District Bar Association.
Advocates Protection Act and security: The ‘Advocates Protection Act’ should be implemented immediately to ensure the safety of lawyers, and a comprehensive group insurance scheme should be introduced for all lawyers. Review of the Election Schedule: The election schedule issued by the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana should be withdrawn, as it violates the ‘Bar Association Election Rules 2015’.
Massive show of solidarity at the protest, including senior lawyers;
The Bar Association’s executive team and many prominent lawyers from the city participated enthusiastically in this protest. The lawyers resolved to intensify the struggle to safeguard their professional interests, independence, and dignity.
Prominent lawyers participating in the protest:
Executive Team: Advocates Vipin Tayal, Hardam Singh, Rekha Rani.
Senior Advocates: Prasotam Chaudhary, Rajnish Garg, Anil Chawla, Karamjit Singh Dhaliwal, Pritpal Sukhija, Jatinder Khosa, Harjit Singh Brar, Shivkartar Singh Sekhon, Sukhvinder Singh Dhudi, Piyush Jain, Upinder Sharma, Ashok Garg, and Joginder Singh Brar.
Other Members: Paramdeep Sachdeva, Ms. Harleen Kaur, Sanjeev Devra, Krishna Kumar Gupta, Navjot Singh Vahniwal, Gurpreet Singh Chauhan, Mahip Sekhon, Sarnam Singh Sandhu, Gurtaj Sandhu, Ajitpal Singh Bhangar, Aasu Mittal, Gagandeep Singh, Akaljot Singh Brar, Harish Gupta, Mukhtiyar Singh Sandhu, Nirmal Aulakh, Balaur Singh Saran, Satinderpal Singh Ladi Sandhu, Manpreet Singh Kang, Jatinder Bansal, Kuldeep Singh Mittal, Lakhvir Gill, Richie Brar, Vikas Tandon, Avtar Krishan Baverwal, Shivam Thakur, Gurtej Singh, Kirandeep Sharma, Samuel Masih, Raj Bahadur Singh, Rachhpal Singh, Raju Aneja, Jaskirat Singh, Arsh Sehgal. Women lawyers and others: A large number of male and female advocates were present, including Jeevanjot Kaur, Mauju Watts, Amanpreet Kaur, Sukhvir Kaur, Avinash Kaur, Ritika Mittal, Manjit Kaur, Varsha, Nirinder Singh, and Suryakant Thakur.
News: 7-4
Photo attached: Photograph of lawyers protesting.
