Condemning the proposed Higher Education and Research Bill  which seeks to take away the power of Bar Council of India's jurisdiction over the legal profession and education, and entrust it with a committee, the BCI has declared a nationwide protest on January 20.

"About 15 lakh lawyers across the country will participate in the protest in all states," said the BCI chairman Ashok K Parija and media cell co-convenor S Prabakaran, who represents Tamil Nadu in the BCI.

Noting that the proposed Bill attempts 'bureaucratisation' of legal profession and education, the BCI said it would directly infringe upon the autonomy and independence of legal fraternity. "The BCI's power to initiate disciplinary action against advocates, and to devise/monitor legal education is being sought to be taken away, and entrusted with bureaucrats," a release from the BCI said. By introducing revolutionary measures like three-year and five-year law degrees and unveiling the national law school concepts, the BCI had been doing yeoman service in the past 50 years, it said.