District Bar Association to boycott Special Lok Adalat on July 18 over LADC Policy
Ferozepur, July 16, 2026: The District Bar Association (DBA), Ferozepur, has announced a complete boycott of the Special Lok Adalat scheduled for July 18, in support of the ongoing agitation launched by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and U.T. Chandigarh against the Legal Aid Defence Counsel (LADC) Policy.
In an urgent notice issued on Thursday, DBA Secretary Neel Rattan Sharma directed all members to abstain from appearing before any court or the Special Lok Adalat on July 18. Advocates have also been asked to advise their clients not to attend court proceedings as part of the continuing non-cooperation movement.
The Bar Association has declared July 18 as a complete "No Work Day" and urged all advocates to strictly adhere to the boycott. It warned that any deviation from the collective decision would weaken the movement and prolong the agitation.
The protest is part of a larger campaign being spearheaded by Bar Associations across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh against the implementation of the LADC Policy. The legal fraternity has been observing a sustained "No Work" agitation, contending that the policy compromises the independence of the legal profession, affects the livelihood of practicing advocates and dilutes the existing legal aid framework.
Despite a nearly two-hour meeting between representatives of the Joint Action Committee and a committee of Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 14, the deadlock remains unresolved. As no satisfactory assurance emerged from the talks, the Joint Action Committee decided to continue the agitation and submit a fresh memorandum to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), seeking reconsideration of the policy.
Neel Rattan Sharma, Secretary, District Bar Association, said that only complete unity and strict observance of the boycott would effectively convey the legal fraternity's concerns to the higher judicial authorities and help secure a meaningful resolution.