A significant plea has been filed before the Kerala High Court by a lawyer, calling for the enactment of protective legislation to ensure the safety of members of the legal community. This plea highlights the increasing instances of assaults against lawyers, including attacks within court premises, underscoring the urgent need for statutory protection for lawyers.
Justice Devan Ramachandran of the Kerala High Court, acknowledging the nobility and dignity of the legal profession, sought a response from the Bar Council of Kerala regarding instances of attacks on lawyers. The plea, represented by Advocates Jomy K Jose and Jismin Jose, points to a recent incident where a lawyer was attacked by a witness inside the Nedumangad Court Complex in Trivandrum.
The petitioner emphasized the crucial role lawyers play in the justice delivery system and public life, stating,
“The frequent attacks on the members of this (legal) community can be seen only as attacks on the community as a whole. Moreover, it brings into the limelight the fact that the nature and importance of the role of the members of this community in the justice delivery system and public life have not been acknowledged.”
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Comparing the legal profession with other sectors, the petitioner noted that while healthcare workers and police officers are provided statutory protection through legislations like the Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Amendment Ordinance and the Kerala Police Act 2011, lawyers are yet to receive similar recognition and protection. The plea argues,
“When other professionals discharging duties of similar nature are recognized and provided with the necessary protection, the members of this community still continue to be unrecognized and neglected.”
The petitioner has also submitted a representation to the state government detailing the issues faced by the legal community, but no action has been taken on it yet. The plea seeks a direction from the Court for the consideration of this representation and urges the respondents to take immediate steps to ensure the protection of lawyers from any form of attack by the public.
This plea in the Kerala High Court marks a critical step towards recognizing and safeguarding the rights and safety of lawyers, integral to the justice delivery system.
