Goa Enacts Bill to Shield Lawyers, Imposes Up to 7-Year Jail for Attacks

The Goa Legislative Assembly approved a bill aimed at protecting legal practitioners from physical and verbal assaults. The legislation classifies any attack on a lawyer as a criminal offence, prescribing imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine. The move follows a series of incidents that highlighted gaps in the existing legal safeguards for advocates. Lawmakers argue that the bill will deter potential aggressors and reinforce the rule of law in the state.

The bill also mandates the establishment of a rapid response mechanism for reporting incidents involving lawyers. It requires law enforcement agencies to investigate such cases within a specified timeframe and to provide assistance to affected legal professionals. The legislation is expected to be implemented after receiving assent from the Governor.