Panaji: The All India Lawyers Union (Goa Unit) on Saturday criticised Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over his recent remarks on advocates, alleging that the comments unfairly blamed lawyers for delays in the justice delivery system. The organisation also condemned statements allegedly made by Minister Nilesh Cabral, saying they undermined the legal profession.
Addressing a press conference, All India Lawyers Union President Advocate Victor Saviour D’Souza said the Chief Minister’s remarks suggested that advocates deliberately prolong litigation to earn higher fees. He argued that such statements ignore the systemic issues responsible for delays in courts and government offices.
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“The government has failed to acknowledge its own shortcomings. Cases are delayed due to vacancies in the judiciary, shortage of staff, absence of officers during hearings and inadequate infrastructure. It is unfair to shift the blame entirely onto lawyers,” he said.
D’Souza said litigants often face repeated adjournments because officials, including deputy collectors, remain absent during hearings, while several judicial posts continue to remain vacant.
The union maintained that mediation and alternate dispute resolution mechanisms are welcome initiatives but objected to what it described as attempts to portray advocates as obstacles to speedy justice.
“We fully support mediation and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. However, lawyers should not be made scapegoats by suggesting they intentionally delay cases for financial gain,” D’Souza said.
Advocate Sachin Narvekar, who also addressed the media, said the legal profession demands years of education, training and hard work before advocates are able to establish themselves.
He said young lawyers spend several years completing law degrees and specialisations before entering practice, often earning modest incomes during the initial years of their careers.
“Our profession does not permit us to advertise or publicly solicit clients. Lawyers largely depend on their reputation and word-of-mouth recommendations to build a practice,” Narvekar said.
Referring to the Chief Minister’s comments, he said public representatives should avoid making sweeping statements that could damage the image of an entire profession.
Narvekar further argued that delays in court proceedings are primarily caused by structural deficiencies, including vacancies among judges, shortage of court staff, inadequate digital infrastructure and insufficient facilities in court complexes.
He also highlighted infrastructure-related issues, claiming that internet connectivity in some government offices and courts remains unreliable, affecting the functioning of advocates and litigants alike.
The lawyers further alleged that while the government earns substantial revenue through stamp duty, registration fees and other legal charges, corresponding investments in judicial infrastructure have not kept pace.
The union also took exception to alleged remarks made by Minister Nilesh Cabral regarding legal drafting and lawyers’ fees, describing them as disrespectful to the profession.
Calling advocacy a noble profession, the lawyers said that while every profession may have a few exceptions, it is wrong to generalise the conduct of an entire community based on isolated incidents.
The All India Lawyers Union demanded that the Chief Minister withdraw his remarks and issue a clarification. The organisation urged the state government to focus on strengthening judicial infrastructure, filling vacancies in the judiciary, improving digital facilities and addressing administrative inefficiencies rather than attributing delays solely to advocates.
No response from the Chief Minister’s Office or Minister Nilesh Cabral was immediately available at the time of filing this report.
