Gujarat Rent Bill 2026: Lawyers Protest, Court Work Hit in Surat, Vadodara

SURAT/VADODARA: A statewide legal confrontation is brewing over the Gujarat Rent Bill-2026, with lawyers accusing the legislation of shifting key rent-dispute powers away from the judiciary and towards executive authorities. Protests in Surat and Vadodara disrupted court access as advocates abstained from proceedings and voiced strong opposition to the new framework.

In Surat, the District Bar Association has resolved to abstain from court proceedings for four days, up to October 3. Lawyers shut the main court gate on Thursday and turned away litigants after explaining the reasons for their protest.

Advocate Zaki Shaikh, a member of the Bar Council of Gujarat, said the issue went beyond the legal profession.

“The government is attempting to shake the foundation of the judiciary. If this trend continues, tomorrow even serious matters could end up being decided by executive authorities,” Shaikh said.

Lawyers are particularly objecting to provisions under which rent-related disputes would be handled through a new administrative and specialised dispute-resolution structure rather than the existing judicial mechanism. The Bill, passed unanimously by the Gujarat Assembly in September, makes written rental agreements mandatory and provides for Rent Authorities, Courts and Tribunals.

Protesting advocates argue that judicial proceedings traditionally involve scrutiny of documents, evidence and witness testimony, whereas they fear the proposed mechanism could reduce judicial oversight in rent disputes.

In Vadodara, lawyers also abstained from court proceedings and demanded withdrawal of what they described as a “black law”. The local bar has written to senior government authorities and warned that the agitation could intensify if their concerns are not addressed.

The protests are not limited to the two cities. Lawyers’ associations in Ahmedabad have also announced court boycotts and blocked access to court premises, while discussions are underway over expanding the agitation across Gujarat.

The government has presented the legislation as a new framework for landlord-tenant relations, replacing the decades-old rent-control regime and creating dedicated mechanisms for resolving rental disputes.