The Bar Council of Delhi has written a letter to Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri regarding the amendment in a clause in the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2021.
In the letter, Council's chairperson advocate KC Mittal stated that the amendment in clause 15.8 is essential and would save lawyers those who are using basements and other premises for their professional activities and from harassment and humiliation by the authorities in the national capital.
BCD in an earlier letter submitted to Delhi Development Authority (DDA) requested tocarry out necessary amendments so that the basements and other premises including chambers, used by lawyers in different localities, are treated as a part of domestic activity.
The council in a meeting held recently apprised the members about the steps taken to carry out the said amendment so as to exclude the legal profession from being considered as commercial activity.
According to the BCD, over 70,000 advocates are there in Delhi and the amendment sought is "reasonable, justified, bonafide" and should be carried out.
The chairperson informed the members of Bar that because of the clause the conversion charges are recovered from the legal professionals.
"Some offices have also been sealed for alleged violation of this clause. The legal profession is not a commercial activity," the letter written to Puri, mentioned.
BCD further claimed that the matter was also taken up with the Delhi Lieutenant Governor and Minister of Urban Development Satyender Jain who forwarded it to the Secretary, UrbanDevelopment, for necessary action.
( With inputs from ANI )