This Article is From Nov 10, 2021

"Punching Bags...": Punjab Congress MP On Advocate General's Removal

Congress leader Manish Tewari said that politicising the Advocate General's office undermines the integrity of Constitutional functionaries.

Advertisement
India News

Manish Tewari said two previous Advocate Generals of Punjab became "punching bags".

New Delhi:

Indicating that situation is not normal in Punjab Congress, senior Congress leader MP Manish Tewari said two previous Advocate Generals of Punjab became "punching bags in proxy political wars", indicating that infighting within the party continues despite leadership changes in the government.

The comment from the Anandpur Sahib MP came a day after Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi accepted the resignation of Advocate General APS Deol, who had resigned amid repeated accusations against him by Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader said that politicising the Advocate General's office undermines the integrity of Constitutional functionaries.

"Since Punjab government is going to appoint New Advocate General, they would be well advised to peruse Rules of Professional Standards prescribed by Bar Council of India," he said.

Advertisement

"An advocate is bound to accept any brief in the courts or tribunals or before any other authority in or before which he proposes to practise," Tiwari said quoting the rule of Bar Council of India.

"He should levy fees which is at par with the fees collected by fellow advocates of his standing at the Bar and the nature of the case. Special circumstances may justify his refusal to accept a particular brief. Politicising AG's office undermines the integrity of Constitutional functionaries," he added

Advertisement

"Both previous Advocate Generals of Punjab became punching bags in proxy political wars. Those who subvert the institution of AG's office need to remember a lawyer is neither wedded to a client or a brief," the Congress leader added.

Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Advocate General APS Deol.

Advertisement

Mr Sidhu had opposed Mr Deol's appointment as he had represented ex-Punjab police chief Sumedh Singh Saini, who was state police head at the time of sacrilege incidents in 2015.

Mr Sidhu had alleged that Deol prayed for transferring the investigation to CBI as he was afraid of their false implication in sacrilege cases on accounts of "malafide, malice and ulterior motives" on the part of the political party in power in the state of Punjab.

Advertisement

Advertisement