The Bar Council of India (BCI) has called on lawyers to suspend their protests against the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025, emphasizing that continued agitation could undermine negotiations with the Union Law Ministry.
In a letter to multiple bar associations in Delhi, the BCI highlighted that government officials, including Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, have shown a cooperative stance and are actively considering the council’s concerns about the bill.
“The government has demonstrated a constructive approach and is receptive to our suggestions. The need of the hour is dialogue, not strikes or boycotts,” the BCI stated, urging legal professionals to restore normal court functioning.
The bill has sparked opposition over provisions that could alter the autonomy of the legal profession, including the inclusion of government nominees in the BCI, restrictions on lawyer strikes, and the regulation of foreign legal practitioners in India. Earlier, the BCI had warned that the bill, in its present form, threatened the independence of the bar.
However, following extensive discussions with the Law Minister and senior officials, the BCI noted a shift in the ministry’s stance. “Substantial clarity and positive assurances have been given regarding the concerns raised,” the council stated, adding that all contentious provisions would be carefully reviewed before the bill is enacted.
The BCI also announced that a meeting of all State Bar Councils is scheduled for February 23, where further steps will be decided. It reassured lawyers that if protests become necessary, they will be coordinated at the national level.
For now, the council is urging restraint, emphasizing that negotiations remain ongoing and that the government appears open to revising the bill based on the legal fraternity’s input.