Delhi High Court seeks response from Central and Delhi governments on plea to enact Advocates Protection Act

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Central and Delhi government on a plea seeking enactment of an Advocates Protection Act for the national capital. .Justice Prathiba M Singh ordered the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) and Coordination Committee of District Bar Associations to file a status report on their deliberations regarding drafting of the Advocates Protection Bill.The Court issued the direction after advocate KC Mittal appeared for the BCD and stated that the BCD and the Coordination Committee are in the process of drafting the bill. Mittal added that the issue is also being discussed with senior government functionaries including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and the law secretary. The Court then proceeded to list the matter for further hearing on May 25. .The court was hearing a plea filed by advocates Deepa Joseph and Alpha Phiris Dayal arguing that there is an alarming rise in the incidents of violence against lawyers in Delhi's courts. “Only an Act that guarantees protection to the fraternity of lawyers practising in Delhi will help remove the sense of fear that has embedded in the minds, particularly among young first-generation lawyers like the Petitioners herein due to the repeated acts of firing inside court premises and altercations to state the least,” the plea stated. .The petition was filed in the backdrop of the murder of advocate Virender Narwal who was shot dead in Dwarka last week. "The murder of Late Sh. Virender Narwal has compelled the Petitioner no.1 to think about safety of female members of the Bar like her and Petitioner No.2 to think about his own safety, particularly when he also practises in the criminal side and advocates mostly for the poor victims who are affected by the misdeeds of the influential or anti-social elements," the Court was told. It added that it is high time now that a decision is taken for enactment of the Advocates Protection Act in Delhi.