Advocates stage protest against amendment bill, demand protection law

Advocates protest in Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam demanding withdrawal of Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and Advocate Protection Law.

Advocates in Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam staged a protest on Wednesday, demanding the withdrawal of the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the enactment of an Advocate Protection Law. The protest, organised by members of the respective Bar Associations, also included a demand to increase the Advocate Welfare Fund to ₹25 lakh.

In Nagapattinam, the protest was led by Bar Association president P. Sathish Prabu and was staged near the post office within the court complex. Similarly, in Mayiladuthurai, the protest was headed by A. Velu Kubendran, president of the Mayiladuthurai Bar Association. A large number of advocates participated, expressing concerns over the proposed amendments and stressing the need for better protection and welfare measures for legal professionals.

Mr. Velu Kubendran said the proposed amendment bill could undermine the autonomy of the Bar Council. He noted that despite feedback from the legal community, the revised bill does not incorporate constructive suggestions put forth by eminent legal professionals. On the Advocate Welfare Fund, he pointed out that the current provision of ₹10 lakh for retirement benefits and lump-sum payments in case of a member’s death was inadequate, urging the government to raise it to ₹25 lakh.

The protesting advocates called for immediate action from the government and warned of intensified demonstrations if their demands were not met.