Rajasthan became the first State in India to pass a law for protection of lawyers..The Rajasthan State Legislature passed the Rajasthan Advocates Protection Bill by voice-vote after it was tabled in the assembly last week.The Bill aims to prevent offences of assault, grievous hurt, criminal force, and criminal intimidation against advocates and damage or loss to their property..Section 3 of the Bill states that any act of assault, grievous hurt, criminal force and criminal intimidation against an advocate will be deemed to be an offence under the Act if such an act is in connection with the discharge of duties of the advocate in court premises.Section 4 states that if an advocate complains to the police about such an act as mentioned in Section 3, the police shall, if it deems fit, provide protection to such advocate.Section 5 prescribes punishment for the offences under the Act.Section 5(1) punishes assault or criminal force against an advocate with a maximum of two years imprisonment, along with a fine of up to ₹25,000.Section 5(2) punishes the act of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to an advocate with a maximum of seven years imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹50,000.Section 5(3) punishes the voluntary commission of the offence of criminal intimidation against an advocate with a maximum of two years imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹10,000.Section 6 states that any offence under the Act shall be cognizable meaning thereby that an accused can be arrested by the investigating authority without a warrant..Section 11 penalises misuse of the provisions of the Act which would be punishable by upto 2 years imprisonment. The Bar Council of India (BCI) had recently urged the Rajasthan government to pass a law for protection of advocates and their families.This was in light of the gruesome murder of a lawyer in the State in broad daylight and the consequent strike by lawyers.
Rajasthan became the first State in India to pass a law for protection of lawyers..The Rajasthan State Legislature passed the Rajasthan Advocates Protection Bill by voice-vote after it was tabled in the assembly last week.The Bill aims to prevent offences of assault, grievous hurt, criminal force, and criminal intimidation against advocates and damage or loss to their property..Section 3 of the Bill states that any act of assault, grievous hurt, criminal force and criminal intimidation against an advocate will be deemed to be an offence under the Act if such an act is in connection with the discharge of duties of the advocate in court premises.Section 4 states that if an advocate complains to the police about such an act as mentioned in Section 3, the police shall, if it deems fit, provide protection to such advocate.Section 5 prescribes punishment for the offences under the Act.Section 5(1) punishes assault or criminal force against an advocate with a maximum of two years imprisonment, along with a fine of up to ₹25,000.Section 5(2) punishes the act of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to an advocate with a maximum of seven years imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹50,000.Section 5(3) punishes the voluntary commission of the offence of criminal intimidation against an advocate with a maximum of two years imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹10,000.Section 6 states that any offence under the Act shall be cognizable meaning thereby that an accused can be arrested by the investigating authority without a warrant..Section 11 penalises misuse of the provisions of the Act which would be punishable by upto 2 years imprisonment. The Bar Council of India (BCI) had recently urged the Rajasthan government to pass a law for protection of advocates and their families.This was in light of the gruesome murder of a lawyer in the State in broad daylight and the consequent strike by lawyers.
