- Why in news
- On 20 July 2026 the Law Ministry said the Bar Council of India (BCI) had put the Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on its website on 18 July 2026 for public comments. Comments are due by 31 July 2026.
- What it is
- The Advocates Act, 1961 governs the legal profession in India. It set up the Bar Council of India and State Bar Councils and created a single class of advocates with a common roll. The 2026 draft proposes amendments to this Act. The release does not give its contents.
- Who hosted the draft
- The Bar Council of India put the draft on its official website on 18 July 2026.
- How it was prepared
- The draft was prepared in consultation with the BCI.
- Parent Act
- The Advocates Act, 1961 created the Bar Council of India and State Bar Councils.
- BCI's role
- The BCI is a statutory body. It sets standards of professional conduct and legal education and recognises law degrees.
Don’t confuse with Bar Council of India vs Bar Association: The BCI is a statutory body under the Advocates Act, 1961. Bar associations are voluntary bodies of lawyers at a court.
Don’t confuse with Draft Bill vs Bill in Parliament: A draft Bill released for consultation has not been introduced in Parliament. It has no legal force until Parliament passes it and it receives assent.
Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.
Why it matters
- Open consultation lets lawyers and the public shape rules for the legal profession before the Bill is introduced.
Problems
- The release does not give the draft's provisions, so its effects cannot yet be judged.
- The consultation window is short, only 13 days after hosting.
Way forward
- Publish the draft's main changes and the reasons for them, and examine all comments before the Bill goes to Parliament.
Put in your answer
Consultative law-making: The Ministry says it is committed to a transparent, participative and consultative legislative process.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Draft bill open for comment; no provisions given yet. Laws are 23 of 327 Prelims questions, but facts here are too thin.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.