The Gujarat High Court on Monday (October 5) witnessed absence of lawyers in court rooms after the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association resolved to abstain from work. 

The Association, which has resolved to observe a two-day strike on Monday and Tuesday (October 5 & 6), in its resolution said:

"It is unanimously resolved that, in support of our brothers and sisters practising before the Hon'ble City Civil Court and the Hon'ble Small Causes Court, in consonance with the resolution and call of the Bar Council of Gujarat, and as a mark of respect for and solidarity with the members of the Bar, the members of the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association shall abstain from judicial work today, i.e. 5 October 2026, and tomorrow, i.e. 6h October 2026, in protest against the Gujarat Rent Bill, 2026"

The resolution states that the proposed law permits fundamental questions concerning rights in property to be adjudicated by authorities that may not possess the judicial training, independence and institutional insight of a court necessary to determine such issues.

It states that the Bar Council of Gujarat having taken up this public cause, the GHCAA has thus resolved to support the said call and to abstain from judicial work on 5 October 2026 and 6 October 2026.

The Bar Council of Gujarat last week called for boycott of judicial proceedings in all the courts across the State by lawyers and bar associations from today onwards to protest the Gujarat Rent Bill 2026, Times of India reported. 

The Bill, passed by the Gujarat Assembly last month, replaces the Gujarat Rents, Hotel and Lodging House Rates Control Act 1947, and seeks to balance the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. The Bill seeks to introduce dispute resolution mechanism comprising of the Rent Authority, Rent Court and Rent Tribunal.

The Bar Council has claimed that the power to resolve disputes have been taken away from the judicial authority and given to the administrative authority.