District Bar Association (DBA), Kapurthala, held an indefinite hunger strike and "no work" strike against the implementation of the Legal Aid Defence Counsel (LADC) System.
The strike commenced at Kapurthala on Monday with an Ardas led by Advocate S.S. Malhi, President, District Bar Association (DBA), Kapurthala, along with office-bearers and members of the Association.
The agitation is being held under the call of the Joint Action Committee of Bar Associations, with advocates across Punjab demanding the immediate withdrawal of the LADC system and restoration of the earlier panel-based legal aid system. Court work remained suspended as members of the Bar united in protest against the present policy.
The legal fraternity believes that the existing LADC system adversely affects the professional independence of advocates and deprives many practising lawyers of equal opportunities to serve under the legal aid mechanism.
According to the protesting advocates, the salaried structure of the LADC system has significantly reduced opportunities for independent practitioners and has altered the functioning of legal aid in a manner that is detrimental to the Bar.
The advocates have demanded complete withdrawal of the present LADC system and restoration of the earlier panel-based legal aid arrangement, which, according to them, ensured wider participation of practising advocates while preserving the independence, dignity and autonomy of the legal profession.
The Bar has maintained that advocates have always played a vital role in safeguarding the rule of law, protecting constitutional rights and ensuring access to justice for every citizen.
It emphasised that any policy affecting the legal profession should be framed only after meaningful consultation with Bar Associations and other stakeholders so that the interests of litigants, advocates and the justice delivery system remain fully protected.
The legal fraternity has appealed to the Central Government, the State Government, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Punjab State Legal Services Authority (PULSA) to immediately initiate constructive dialogue with representatives of the Bar and arrive at an amicable solution at the earliest.
The hunger strike was observed by Adv. S.S. Malhi, President, District Bar Association (DBA), Kapurthala; Adv. Amandeep Singh, Secretary, District Bar Association (DBA), Kapurthala; Adv. T.S. Dhillon, Former Press Secretary, District Bar Association (DBA), Kapurthala; Adv. Ranbir Rawat, Member; Adv. Hamish Kumar, Former Secretary; Advocate Sandeep Singh, Former Secretary; Adv. Naveen Kapoor, Member; and Adv. Surinder Kumar, Member.
Other advocates who participated in the strike were Adv. K.S. Walia, Adv. J.J.S. Arora, Adv. M.R. Kalia, Adv. Anuj Anand, Adv. Harry Sharma, Adv. Rajbir Bawa, Adv. Mandeep Teji, Adv. N.S. Noor, Adv. Parmjeet Singh Liddar, Adv. Nitin Sharma and Adv. Sandeep Singh Walia, along with several other advocates of the District Bar Association (DBA), Kapurthala, who extended their wholehearted support to the ongoing agitation.
The advocates expressed hope that the genuine concerns of the legal fraternity would be addressed without further delay through meaningful dialogue, so that normal court functioning may resume while safeguarding the independence of the Bar, the interests of litigants and the effective administration of justice.