Goa Assembly clears bill stipulating 7-year jail for assault on lawyers
The Goa Assembly has passed the Advocates Protection Bill, 2026, which imposes up to seven years of imprisonment for assaulting lawyers on duty. The legislation aims to ensure the independence of the legal profession while including safeguards against the filing of malicious complaints.
Why it matters
This law represents a significant legislative effort to protect legal professionals from violence and intimidation in the course of their work.
The Goa Assembly has passed a bill prescribing stringent punishment for assaulting lawyers on duty, with up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh.
The Goa Advocates Protection Bill, 2026, moved in the House on Tuesday (September 1, 2026), provides police protection to advocates facing threats, while also incorporating safeguards against misuse, with false or malicious complaints punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine, or both.
There had been an increasing incidence of violence, intimidation, harassment, false implication and damage to property directed against advocates while discharging their professional duties.
Such acts, as per the bill, could affect the independence and fearless functioning of the legal profession and ultimately impair litigants' right to legal representation and access to justice.
The legislation makes every offence committed under its provisions cognisable and also provides for compensation to advocates from fines recovered by courts.
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