Lawyers hold talks with law secretary over demands

Jaipur: Representatives of lawyers held discussions with the principal law secretary on Saturday over their demand for amendments to certain provisions in the Advocates Protection Bill, which was tabled in the assembly on Wednesday. The lawyers want that cognisable offences not be limited only to those committed in court premises while lawyers are discharging their professional duties, and the quantum of punishment and fine to be enhanced. In the current bill, the maximum punishment is seven years and a fine of Rs 50,000.
Also, while the offence has been made cognisable in the present bill, lawyers want the offence to be made non-bailable as well. The lawyers demanded that no court lower than that of a judicial magistrate of the first class should try the offences punishable under the upcoming Act. tnn