Rajya Sabha passes Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which aims to regulate the legal profession by a single Act and seeks to target «touts». The amendment would help to regulate the legal profession through a single Act, the Advocates Act, 1961, according to statement of objects and reasons of the legislation. Replying to a debate on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the legal profession is a noble profession and unlawful practices should be dealt with firmly.

The Bill was passed by a voice vote, following which the House adjourned for the day. The Bill provides that every high court and district judge can frame and publish lists of touts (those who procure clients for legal practitioner in return for any payment). As per the provisions, such persons named in the list of touts will be excluded from entering the court premises.

Any violation of this provision will entail punishment with imprisonment up to three months and a fine. In keeping with the Centre's policy of repealing all obsolete laws or pre-independence Acts which have lost their utility, the government in consultation with the Bar Council of India has decided to repeal the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, and to amend the Advocates Act, 1961, by incorporating the provisions of section 36 of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1879, in the Advocates Act, 1961. This will reduce the number of superfluous enactments in the statute book.