Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The High Court Bar Association of Goa will submit its recommendations on the proposed Goa Advocate Protection Bill, 2026, after the High Court of Bombay at Goa directed the association to examine the draft and offer its views.
The matter was taken up by a Division Bench comprising Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar while hearing a suo motu writ petition initiated after an advocate was allegedly assaulted at Morjim last month.
During the proceedings, the Bench was informed about the proposed legislation but noted that the contents of the draft were not before it. The judges asked the Bar Association to review the draft and place its suggestions before the appropriate authorities.
The Goa Cabinet had approved the Goa Advocate Protection Bill, 2026, in March. The proposed legislation seeks to provide protection to advocates against violence, assault, intimidation and false implication while they are carrying out their professional responsibilities. The Bill, however, is yet to be passed by the Goa Legislative Assembly.
Additional Government Advocate Deep Shirodkar informed the court that the government had studied advocate protection laws introduced in other States, including Karnataka and Telangana. The Bench directed him to obtain an update on the draft Bill and ascertain the stage at which the legislative process currently stands.
Lawyers appearing before the court said representatives of the legal fraternity would place their recommendations before the Assembly committee dealing with the proposed legislation.
The High Court has posted the matter for further hearing on September 28.
