PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
A large number of lawyers launched a protest against the government’s online registry system under the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and attempted to march toward the secretariat here on Tuesday. Police stopped the protestors by placing barricades along the route.
The lawyers stated that the online registry system threatens their livelihood and poses technical challenges for the public. Lawyers from across both plains and mountainous areas had reached Dehradun to stage the protest.
Under the leadership of various bar associations, lawyers demanded changes in the implementation process and called for their involvement in policy decisions. They clarified that they are not opposed to the UCC as a whole but believe that certain provisions require amendments after consultation with legal professionals.
The president of the Dehradun Bar Association, Manmohan Kandwal said that a meeting was held on March 5 with presidents and secretaries of Garhwal division bar associations and members of the bar council of Uttarakhand. He said that the meeting highlighted several concerns about the future of the legal profession, especially regarding the reduced role of lawyers in processes like marriage registration and property wills under the UCC.
The upcoming implementation of the online registry system further excludes lawyers from essential legal services. He further stated that alongside lawyers, typists, stamp vendors and support staff also joined the protest. They warned the government that if demands are not addressed, all registry-related operations, both online and offline, will be suspended across the State.
Kandwal stated that lawyers are not opposing UCC in its entirety but are concerned about losing their source of income due to online systems that bypass legal professionals. Normal judicial operations across the State came to a halt and courts remained non-functional as lawyers boycotted proceedings on Tuesday, as per Kandwal.
