NEW DELHI: The law ministry on Saturday withdrew the draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025 from public consultation after various lawyers’ bodies threatened protests against the bill that proposes to take disciplinary action against any lawyer for disrupting court functioning, even cancelling their license to practice. Furthermore, the bill lays down “standards of professional conduct and etiquette and to prescribe regulations as it may deem necessary”.
The draft bill also allows the central govt to appoint three nominees in bar councils to conduct disciplinary actions, and allow foreign law firms to practice, bringing professionalism in Indian courtrooms.
The proposed amendments have been pending since 2017 when consultations were first completed by the law ministry. “Revised Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to be processed afresh for public consultation,” the ministry said.
The draft bill was made available for public consultation on Feb 13, on the ministry’s website.
“However, considering number of suggestions and concerns received, it has been decided to conclude the consultation process now. Based on the feedback received, the draft bill, as revised, will be processed afresh for consultation with stakeholders,” it added.
Earlier, the govt had held consultations with various bar associations across the country, including the Supreme Court bar association. All of them had opposed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill and the Law Commission’s 266th report that recommended stringent disciplinary action against lawyers disrupting court work, which included barring them from practising.
The Law Commission recommended amendment to the Advocates Act to allow lawyers a day’s token strike in compelling circumstances with the prior approval of the bar council concerned.
It also suggested appointment of eminent persons as members outside the legal profession in a proposed statutory body to deal with disciplinary proceedings against advocates. Various bar bodies had objected to the amendments proposed by the Commission (report No. 266) on the grounds that the proposed bill recommends for “introducing non-legal persons entering into the statutory body in the name of eminent persons and they will be empowered to deal with the disciplinary proceedings against advocates”.