Lawyers strike work opposing service tax
July 9th, 2009 - 9:33 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Lawyers in district courts of the capital observed strike Thursday to oppose the imposition of service tax on law firms.
Around 20,000 lawyers in Delhi abstained from work paralyzing the lower courts.
No advocate appeared in the cases in Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Rohini and Dwarka courts.
The cases listed for the day were adjourned, a Delhi Bar Association office bearer said.
“The lawyers of India will not tolerate any attempt by the government to impose service tax on the legal fraternity and shall adopt all peaceful means to oppose such uncalled and unwarranted taxes,” the coordination committee of All Bar Associations of Delhi said in a statement.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has in the budget for 2009-10 proposed service tax on advice, consultancy or technical assistance provided in the field of law.
The lawyers argue that the legal profession cannot be considered a trade or business.
“The government seems to be under the impression that the advocates’ profession is a commercial activity. The profession of law is a most noble and pious one meant to advance the promotion of administration of justice,” said Ved Prakash Sharma, chairman of the the Bar Council of Delhi.
- Lawyers to strike Thursday against service tax - Jul 08, 2009
- Lawyers strike work in Delhi courts - Mar 24, 2011
- Delhi lawyers to strike work Thursday - Jan 11, 2012
- Attack on judges: Delhi lawyers observe strike - May 18, 2012
- Lawyers' strike to back Anna hits litigants (Lead) - Aug 17, 2011
- No kidding: Child labour rampant around Delhi courts - Oct 08, 2011
- Four held for attack on Delhi judges (Lead) - May 18, 2012
- Delhi Bar Association poll cancelled, rescheduled for Feb 1 - Jan 25, 2012
- 41,827 decade-old cases pending in Delhi courts - Aug 22, 2010
- Officials summoned over child workers in court complexes - Jan 04, 2012
- Lawyers strike work demanding security in court premises - Jun 04, 2009
- Court issues notice to Delhi government on child labour - Oct 13, 2011
- Saket court complex misses more deadliines - Jul 09, 2010
- Lok Adalat settles 1,400 power bill cases - May 20, 2012
- Domestic violence cases on the rise in Delhi courts - Aug 19, 2010
Tags: administration of justice, advocate, advocates, bar associations, budget, consultancy, coordination committee, district courts, dwarka, finance minister, imposition, law firms, lawyers, legal fraternity, legal profession, New Delhi, office bearer, pranab mukherjee, rohini, technical assistance