Delhi HC asks AAP government for update on defender protection bill | Latest News India

New Delhi, The Delhi High Court has asked the A government to submit a status report on the Advocates Protection Act, which aims to protect legal professionals and provide a safer environment.

Justice Sanjeev Narula moved the hearing date from February 5, 2025 to December 16, 2024, directing that the status report be submitted within two weeks.

The high court was hearing a plea by lawyers Deepa Joseph and Alpha Phiris Dayal to enact a law for the protection of lawyers, following the alleged murder of a lawyer in April.

Delhi government’s standing lawyer Santosh Kumar Tripathi stated that he will submit the latest status report covering the developments in the bill so far.

The court fixed an earlier hearing date for the plea filed by the petitioners, represented by advocate Robin Raju, in connection with the attack on a group of lawyers on October 21, for which an FIR has been registered at Mehrauli Police Station.

“The recent acts of violence against lawyers indicate the dire need for enactment of the Lawyers Protection Act in Delhi,” the plea said. The statement was included.

The court has been urged to intervene immediately in the matter as the final draft of the Advocates Protection Act, prepared by the Law Department of the Delhi government, has been awaiting review and approval of the Delhi Law Minister since September 13.

On April 12, the top court had asked the Center and Delhi governments to respond to the petition and also sought a status report from the Delhi Bar Council and the coordination committee of all district bar associations, submitting that the report was already in process. Preparation of the Lawyers Protection Bill and consultations with public officials.

Advocate Virender Kumar Narwal (53) was shot dead by two assailants on a motorcycle in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka area on April 1.

The petitioners, in their plea, said there has been an “alarming increase” in violence inside the court premises in the city and that the decision to enact a law that will ensure the protection of legal fraternity and eliminate fear has come “high time”. .

The petitioners said that “security concerns have been further exacerbated by the sighting of images and videos of the cold-blooded murder of an influential and senior member of the Bar Association” and if such a bill is not passed in Delhi, the daring of criminals to commit crimes will increase. Reactions against lawyers will increase even more.

Referring to Narwal’s case, the plea stated that there is fear among lawyers and this affects the right to practice any profession under Article 19 of the Constitution of India and also that Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees protection of life and personal liberty, has been violated.

The claim was that a law in Rajasthan provides police protection to any lawyer who is attacked or subjected to criminal force or intimidation and prescribes a penalty for the offender.

“An Act that guarantees protection of the fraternity of lawyers practicing exclusively in Delhi will help eliminate the sense of fear that has settled in the minds of first generation young lawyers like the petitioners here, especially due to repeated shootings and fights in court premises, to say the least,” he said. in defence.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to the text.