Thiruvananthapuram: Law minister A.K. Balan said in the Assembly on Thursday that the issue between media and lawyers could not be settled through an executive order of the government, but added that the government would continue its efforts to solve the issue. The members condemned the attack on the media and suggested acion against the unruly lawyers during a discussion on a motion to refer to the subjects committee the Kerala Advocates' Welfare Fund (Amendment) Bill on Thursday.
“The difficult situation prevailing in the courts now can’t be solved through an executive order of the government. The media and judiciary are integral parts of democracy. With this spirit, the government will continue to make its interventions to settle the issues,” Mr Balan said. Mr M. Vincent (Cong) suggested that the lawyers involved in criminal activities should be terminated from the Advocates’ Welfare Fund Board. He said that only a section of lawyers was involved in criminal activities.
“Not only media, even instances of clients being attacked by lawyers had occurred,” he said. While Mr Anil Akkara (Cong) said that the issues could be easily sorted out by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, CPM’s A.N. Shamseer said that lawyers were supposed to ensure justice to all, including the media. Media and lawyers were not two sections that should fight. It could be even an ego clash, he said.
