Bar council opposes education Bill

Advocates of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to go on strike on Jan 20

Chandigarh, January 12
Terming the Higher Education and Research Bill, 2011, as “undemocratic” and “motivated” to regulate the legal education sector in the county, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana today opposed the bill.

Now on the call given by the Bar Council of India (BCI), advocates of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh would go on strike on January 20.

Lekh Raj Sharma, chairman, Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, said with this Bill, the Union government had tried to take away the powers of the BCI to regulate the legal education sector of the country.

He added that the Union government was in so hurry for the bill that the new bill was approved without any consultation with the members of Bar.

An emergency meeting has also been called on January 15 in Chandigarh, he added.

Amrik Singh Kalra, secretary of Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, said as per the Advocates Act, 1961, lawyers want to be independent of the government control but the Centre is trying to take control over the advocates and legal education.

He added that the Bar council can smell the hidden agenda of the government in bringing this Bill. With this Bill, the government is planning to allow foreign nationals to practice as advocates in India. The Bar council would also oppose any kind of the hindrance in the smooth functioning of the bodies established under the Advocates Act, 1961, he added.