The Delhi High Court has instructed the Delhi Government to conduct stakeholder consultations on the draft Delhi Advocates (Protection) Bill, 2023. This bill aims to provide safety and security to lawyers by addressing incidents of assaults, killings, intimidation, and threats against them.

Advocate KC Mittal, representing the Bar Council of Delhi, informed Justice Prathiba M Singh that the initial version of the bill has been prepared and sent to the law minister and Chief Minister of the Delhi Government for consideration.

Justice Singh ordered that a copy of the draft bill be submitted to the court along with an index. She further directed the Delhi Government to examine the draft bill and conduct stakeholder consultations. Following the consultations, an action taken report should be filed.

The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for September 6.

The court took up this case in response to a petition filed by lawyers Deepa Joseph and Alpha Phiris Dayal. They raised concerns about the increasing incidents of violence within different district court premises in Delhi.

The petition was filed following the killing of advocate Virender Kumar in April. The plea also highlighted other incidents of shooting inside court premises.

The petitioners emphasized the urgent need for the enactment of the Advocates Protection Act in Delhi. They pointed out that the state of Rajasthan has recently passed such an act, and they believe that a similar law in Delhi is necessary to alleviate the fear prevailing among lawyers, particularly the younger generation, due to repeated incidents of violence and altercations within court premises

Case Title: "Deepa Joseph & Anr. v. Union of India & Anr."