Bengaluru: Office-bearers of the Bengaluru Advocates’ Association on Tuesday petitioned Home Minister Priyank Kharge to strengthen the Advocates Protection Act and to arrest, without delay, those accused of killing and attacking advocates.
The delegation asked the government to treat the recent murders of and assaults on advocates seriously and to take the necessary steps.
Arrests sought
The association demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the accused in the murders of advocates Manjunath and Sriram of Annapoorneshwari Nagar, and in the attempted murder of Venkataramana Sannakki of Gauribidanur.
Demands on the law and policing
- Include stringent, non-bailable offences in the Advocates Protection Act, with a minimum sentence of 10 years.
- Frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) for all police stations so that advocates and members of the public are treated respectfully, and enforce it.
- Stop police from intervening without authority to settle civil disputes, and take disciplinary action against officers who do not follow the Supreme Court’s directions on the issue.
Kharge received the petition and assured the delegation that he would examine the association’s demands and take the necessary action.
Association president Vivek Subba Reddy, general secretary H V Praveen Gowda, vice-president Girish Kumar C S and treasurer Shwetha Ravishankar were in the delegation.
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