Telangana State Shields Advocates From The Attacks By Implementing The Advocates Protection Act

Hyderabad: Fulfilling the election manifesto promise to the advocate community, the Congress government brought the Telangana Advocates Protection Act, 2026, officially into force from June 2, State Formation Day, on Tuesday onwards. The law provides statutory safeguards to advocates against violence, intimidation and harassment arising out of the discharge of their professional duties.

The enforcement marks the culmination of a long-standing demand of advocates who had been seeking a special law to protect members of the Bar from attacks by disgruntled litigants, criminal elements and vested interests. Successive representations were submitted by the Bar Council of Telangana, High Court Bar Association, district bar associations and various lawyers' forums, urging the government to enact a dedicated protection law. The demand gained momentum following a series of violent incidents involving advocates both inside and outside court premises.

The notification comes on the back of years of intense demands for protection, particularly from after the murder in 2021 of advocate couple Gattu Vaman Rao and Nagamani to the recent murder of senior advocate Khaja Moizuddin. Over the years, the legal fraternity has witnessed several incidents of assaults, threats, intimidation and obstruction of advocates while discharging their professional duties, prompting widespread protests by bar associations.

Under the new law, an "act of violence" against an advocate includes harassment, coercion, assault, criminal intimidation, malicious prosecution, threats to life, attacks on family members, attempts to force disclosure of privileged communications, and any act intended to interfere with the fair and fearless conduct of litigation.

The Act also provides mechanisms for protection, grievance redressal and action against those targeting advocates because of their professional work.

The Act made it clear that whoever commits or abets the commission of an act of violence, against an advocate, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall be not less than six months but which may extend to three years and fine which shall not be less than rupees twenty five thousand and which may extend to rupees fifty thousand.

Whoever attempts to commit the act of violence shall be punishable with half of the punishment provided under the provisions. Repeat offenders will be punished up to seven years imprisonment and fine may be extended upto `1 lakh.

The victims of 'act of violence' or their dependents are entitled to compensation in accordance with the provisions of Sections 395 and 396 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 or the Telangana Victim Compensation Scheme.

Members of the Bar have welcomed the notification, describing it as a historic achievement for the legal fraternity and a significant step towards preserving the independence, dignity and safety of advocates. Akula Ananthasen Reddy, member of the Telangana Bar Council, commended the state’s initiative in setting up a grievance redressal system at every level to handle advocates’ complaints.

Advocate Thirupathi Varma said that the legislation was long waited for the advocates and described it as a landmark step to strengthen the safety, dignity and protection of the advocates.

To prevent the misuse of the shield given to the advocates, the Act also included some guidelines by stating that whoever, being an advocate misuses the provisions of the Act or uses the same for malicious prosecution or makes false or vexatious complaint shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to three years or fine which may extend to `25,000 or both. Such advocates shall also be liable to pay compensation of an amount as may be determined by the court to the victim.