The lawyers’ body demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017, terming it as unconstitutional, oppressive and undemocratic

Rajasthan government ordinance seeks to protect judges, magistrates and public servants from being probed without prior sanction.(HT File)

The All India Lawyers Union has condemned the Rajasthan government ordinance, which seeks to protect judges, magistrates and public servants from being probed without prior sanction, saying it reflected the “authoritarian” attitude of the state government.

The lawyers’ body demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017, terming it as “unconstitutional”, “oppressive” and “undemocratic”.

“It demonstrates the authoritarian approach of Rajasthan’s BJP government,” the AILU’s Delhi branch said in a statement.

Maintaining that the ordinance was “an attack on freedom of the press”, it said the measure sought to bar the media from reporting on accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe was obtained.

The ordinance was widely criticised by legal experts, media fraternity and the public at large.

“We appreciate the public opinion demonstrated against this action of the Rajasthan government and appeal to all lawyers, law teachers, students and all countrymen cherishing democratic values to raise their voice against this sort of attack on democracy and rule of law,” advocate Som Dutta Sharma, General Secretary of AILU said in the statement.