Advocates bill assault on judiciary: CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday flayed the Centre over the Advocates Amendment Bill 2025, calling it “a direct assault on the autonomy of the legal profession.”

The BJP’s aversion to Tamil is evident in this Bill, “as it wants to rename the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry as the Bar Council of Madras,” he claimed.

“Tamil Nadu is not just a name; it is our identity!” he said.

He alleged that since 2014, the BJP government has been “systematically undermining the independence of the Judiciary—first by trying to hijack judicial appointments through the NJAC, then by ignoring the collegium’s recommendations for judicial appointments and transfers.

“Now, by seeking control over Bar Councils, it aims to weaken judicial independence by eroding the autonomy of the legal profession,” he said. “Though spontaneous protests and strong opposition to the Draft Bill forced the Union government to withdraw it, the rider that it will be reconsidered and processed afresh is condemnable,” he said.

Amid opposition from bar bodies, the government on Saturday said it would revise the draft Bill as it ended the public consultations that started earlier this month.