Mangalore lawyers to boycott court proceedings today

The stir is in protest against the draft of Higher Education and Research Bill 2011 .

Supporting the call given by the Bar Council of India, Mangalore Bar Association members will abstain from court proceedings, in protest against the draft of Higher Education and Research Bill 2011 which excludes legal education from the purview of the Bar Council of India, on July 11 and 12.

Addressing a press meet here Tuesday, Mangalore Bar Association President S P Changappa said that the proposed bill which will be tabled for discussion in the Parliament session, will curb the functions and powers entrusted to it and State Bar Councils on issues related to legal education and framing of the syllabus in the country.

Flaying the proposed Bill, he said the Bill envisages the formation of a 
National Commission  comprising academicians and others to look into the legal education.

The National Commission will deprive the representative of Bar Council to have their say while forming the policies on legal education.

He said the Bill will sideline and harm the freedom of the advocates and their elected statutory bodies in connectioon with legal education and legal profession. “The Bill is also an attack on Advocates Act of 1961.”

“We are also opposed to ‘National accreditation regulatory authority for higher educational institution Act 2010,’  ‘The foreign educational institution regulation of entry and operation Bill 2010,’ ‘The prohibition of unfair practices in higher educational institution Bill 2010’ ‘The National Law Schools Bill 2011’ and ‘Motor Vehicle Act 2011.’

He alleged that the HRD ministry’s negligence has resulted in poor quality of higher education in law. The Bar Council of India is responsible for education policy pertaining to degree and not at the higher education level. 

The association has also opposed TO allow the foreign Institution and law firms in India.

As part of the protest, the Association members will take out a procession from court premises to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Wednesday and a memorandum will be submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, to be sent to the Central government to withdraw the proposed Bill. On July 12, the members will stage a dharna in court premises from 11 am to 12 noon.