A Plea has been moved today in the Delhi High Court by 2 advocates praying to ensure a safe atmosphere in Delhi to practice their profession and for considering the enactment of the Advocates Protection Act in Delhi following the recent case of the killing of Advocate Virender Kumar Narwal.
Petitioners Deepa Joseph & Alpha Phiris Dayal stated that the broad daylight murder of a senior colleague of the Bar by two miscreants on April 1, in Delhi’s Dwarka area has shocked them like others in the profession.
The plea stated that “The concern of the Petitioners about their own safety has been aggravated by seeing the visuals and video of the cold-blooded murder of an influential and senior member of the Bar.”
The murder of Advocate Virender Narwal compelled Petitioner Deepa Joseph to think about bar female members safety and Petitioner Alpha Phiris to think about his own safety, particularly when he also practices in the criminal side and advocates mainly for the poor victims who are affected by the misdeeds of the influential or anti-social elements.
On April 6, 2023, the Bar Council of Delhi in its meeting deliberated on the Advocates Protection Act that is to be enacted by the Government of the NCT, Delhi on a priority basis, since the Advocates are being attacked, within & outside the court premises.
Therefore, it was also considered that the Government of Rajasthan has already enacted the Advocates Protection Act 2023. The Bar Council of India also sent a proposal for the Advocates Protection Act to the Government of India for its enactment.
BCD press statement stated that “All the members on realizing the ground realities and the situation, were in favor of bringing the Advocates Protection Act for advocates practicing in Delhi and NCR, enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi, on an urgent basis.”
For this the Council mutually constituted a Special Committee to draft a comprehensive Advocates Protection Act, to ensure that the same is enacted by the Government of NCT of Delhi.
The Special Committee constituted by the Bar Council of Delhi shall be headed by KC Mittal, Former Chairman, of the Bar Council of Delhi, and the members of the Special Committee (Advocate Protection Act) shall be KC Mittal, Former Chairman, BCD, DK Sharma, Chairman, Executive Committee, BCD, Sanjay Rathi, Hony, Secretary, BCD, Ajayinder Sangwan, Co-Chairman, BCD, Ajay Sondhi, Co-Chairman, BCD.
