Jethmalani appeals to lawyers to call off strike

Jethmalani appeals to lawyers to call off strike

NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 23: Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani today appealed to lawyers to withdraw their country-wide strike on Thursday in protest against the proposed entry of foreign lawyers and amendments to the CPC and said the "Government was ready for a dialogue".

"Government is prepared for a dialogue at any time and place, but no one should expect it to succumb to a threat of strike which is unjust and illegal", Jethmalani said here in a statement.

The statement came after a meeting between the Law Minister and a delegation of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, owing allegiance to BJP, which extended support to the amendments in the CPC. The delegation, however, expressed concern over the entry of foreign lawyers and periodic professional examination for advocates.

Jethmalani said, "These were the two proposals floated in a working paper of the Law Commission. There will be a nation-wide debate before Government takes a final decision on the issues".

Supreme Court Bar Association and other bar associations all over the country have given a nation-wide strike call tomorrow in protest against the amendments to CPC, which awaits notification by the Government and the entry of foreign lawyers as proposed in the Law Commission's working paper.