Gujarat Lawyers Begin Indefinite Strike Over Rent Bill

AHMEDABAD/SURAT: Court proceedings across Gujarat were disrupted on Monday as lawyers launched an indefinite strike against the controversial Gujarat Rent Bill, bringing legal work to a standstill and leaving litigants facing delays and uncertainty. The agitation, backed by lawyers’ associations across the state, followed three consecutive days of protests that failed to yield a resolution.

The Gujarat Bar Association called for the indefinite strike, while the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association urged lawyers to abstain from court proceedings. The lawyers’ entry gate at the Gujarat High Court was closed, and no private lawyers appeared in courtrooms. Scheduled hearings were adjourned, bringing proceedings for the day to an end.

In Ahmedabad, lawyers also took out a bike rally from the City Civil and Sessions Court through the Metro Court and Ghee Kanta to the Income Tax area, raising slogans against the legislation.

Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association president Yatin Oza strongly criticised the proposed law and questioned the government’s approach.

“It is my personal view that this law has been introduced for the benefit of builders and high-ranking officials. If lawyers stand united, no law or action can defeat us,” Oza said.

He went on to describe the legislation in unusually strong terms, saying, “The law passed by the Gujarat Legislative Assembly is something that wouldn’t even be enacted in North Korea.”

The principal objection of lawyers centres on the proposed change in the mechanism for resolving rent-related disputes. Under the new bill, administrative officials such as Deputy Mamlatdars, Deputy Collectors and Assistant Municipal Commissioners would adjudicate rent agreements and disputes instead of Civil Courts or Small Cause Courts.

Lawyers argue that the move could undermine the judicial process and adversely affect both litigants and the legal profession. They are demanding that the existing law be retained and that the proposed legislation be withdrawn or amended.

Vadodara Bar Association president Hasmukh Bhatt said lawyers had a deeper understanding of legal provisions than legislators and rejected the idea of resolving the dispute merely through a government-appointed committee.

“We demand that the government first withdraw the bill sent to the Governor and make necessary amendments. Only after that will we consider withdrawing the agitation,” Bhatt said.

The strike also severely affected Surat. A large number of lawyers gathered at the Surat District and Sessions Court and raised slogans demanding withdrawal of the Rent Act. Court work remained paralysed, while litigants arriving for hearings were reportedly turned away at the main gate, causing considerable hardship.

The statewide agitation is now set to intensify unless the government intervenes and addresses the lawyers’ objections.