After widespread protests, Centre withdraws controversial amendment to Advocates Act

Himachal Bar Council delegation too meets union ministers Meghwal, Nadda
MANDI: A delegation of prominent legal representatives from Himachal Pradesh met Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and BJP national president JP Nadda to seek clarity on the contentious status of the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The delegation was led by Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh chairman Lovneesh Kanwar, vice-chairman Rohit Sharma and members Rakesh Acharya and Nand Lal Thakur, and Bar Council of India member Amit Vaid.

Why proposed law triggered protests

The introduction of the bill sparked massive protests, with lawyers claiming that the new law proposed massive changes to the Advocates Act, 1961, especially in redefining who is a legal practitioner and broadening the means of practising law.

The meeting came in response to growing scepticism among advocates regarding whether the bill had been officially rolled back.

The Ministry of Law & Justice had initially introduced the bill for public consultation on February 13, 2025, through the Department of Legal Affairs website. However, following widespread feedback and concerns raised by the legal fraternity, the government decided to conclude the consultation process and reassess the draft bill.

Fresh consultation process to be initiated, says govt

During the discussions, the delegation was assured by the ministers that the bill had indeed been withdrawn and a fresh consultation process would be initiated based on the feedback received, said Lovneesh Kanwar quoting the ministers.

“To further reinforce the decision, a competent authority issued a formal communication on behalf of the government of India, confirming the rollback. Furthermore, the notification regarding the bill has also been removed from the official portal, putting an end to any lingering doubts,” he said.

With this clarification, the legal community has welcomed the government’s responsiveness to their concerns.

Munish Sood