Mangalore, July 11, 2012:  In support to the by the Bar Council of India, Mangalore Bar Association members staged a protest in front of DC Office on July 11, Wednesday against the draft of Higher Education and Research Bill 2011 which excludes legal education from the purview of the Bar Council of India.

Addressing the protestors, Mangalore Bar Association President S P Changappa said that the lawyers act was implemented even in the time when Mahatma Gandhiji and Nehru were practicing their legal education in the year 1961.

He said that the proposed Bill predicts the formation of a National Commission comprising academicians and others to look into the legal education. The National Commission will deprive the representative of Bar Council to have their say while forming the policies on legal education, he said.

The protestors also opposed ‘National accreditation regulatory authority for higher educational institution Act 2010,’  ‘The foreign educational institution regulation of entry and operation Bill 2010,’ ‘The prohibition of unfair practices in higher educational institution Bill 2010’ ‘The National Law Schools Bill 2011’ and ‘Motor Vehicle Act 2011.’

At present 1.7 million lawyers practice law in the country, but the central government is appointing lawyers from other countries and demand huge fee from the public for fighting their cases and this will also affect the public along with the lawyers of the country, hence this condemned, he said. They opposed to allow the foreign Institution and law firms in India.

The Association members took out a procession from court premises to the Deputy Commissioner and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, to be sent to the Central government to withdraw the proposed Bill.

Advocates like Raghavendra Rao, Ravindranath Rai, Ganesh Shenoy, B Vittal Rai and many others were present.