Press Release dated 12.02.2019 of Bar Council of India after the peaceful protest rally seeking genuine welfare demands of the Advocates from the Government and after meeting with Hon’ble Law Minister, thereafter.
PRESS RELEASE
12th February, 2019
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1. On the call of Bar Council of India, all State Bar Councils and representatives of High Court Bar Associations, Co¬ordination Committee of Bar Associations of Delhi and NCR, the lawyers throughout the country held a massive “PROTEST RALLY” on all the state capitals. As per reports received from throughout the country massive rallies were held throughout the country. Delhi witnessed about 35000 lawyers assembles and participate in the RALLY which concluded in a meeting at JANTAR MANTAR as per programme. The huge gathering was addressed by the leaders of the Bar Council of India (BCI), Bar Council of Delhi, National Capital Region (NCR), Punjab and Haryana and many members of western UP. It was a historic rally; for the first time in the history of lawyers such a huge gathering had assembled at Patiala House Court.
The following genuine demands for the welfare of lawyers were made by the Bar Council of India:-
-: D E M A N D S :-
1. All the Bar Associations of the country should have, chambers, adequate building/accommodation/sitting facilities with well equipped Libraries, e-libraries, with internet facilities, toilet, potable water, etc. and separate sitting & toilet facilities for lady advocates, canteens on subsidized rates.
2. Budgetary allocation of Rs. 5,000/- crores for lawyers & litigants’ welfare in Annual Budget of Union in order to implement following requirements.
a. Insurance cover for the Lawyers and their families (dependents).
b. Stipend for needy new entrants at the Bar upto 5years of their practice (Minimum Rs.10,000/- Per Month).
c. Financial protection to lawyers and their dependents in case of untimely death or incapacitation by reason of disease, accident, etc.
3. Government should frame schemes to acquire lands at cheaper rates for the Housing of Advocates, (on the pattern of Haryana Government).
4. Legal Services Authority Act – Amendments & necessary changes should be made in the Act so that the functions under this Act could be discharged by the Lawyers (and not the Judges or Judicial Officers only).
5. All the Acts (which provide for appointments of retired Judges/Judicial Officers as the Presiding Officers/Member of different Tribunals, Commissions or Forums/Authorities) should be properly amended so that competent Advocates (and not only the Judges) could also be appointed on these places.
2. On 2nd February 2019 itself lawyers had decided their agitational line of action.
Delegation to Law Minister
3. During the midst of meeting today at Jantar Mantar, Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Hon’ble Union Minister of Law and Justice invited the Delegation of Bar to meet him. The 21 Member Delegation led by Hon’ble Mr. Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman, Bar Council of India met the Mr. Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Hon’ble Union Minister of Law and Justice and a detailed discussion over all the demands with representatives of lawyers, Bar Council of India and Bar Associations was held in the Law Ministry.
4. In the meeting, Hon’ble Law Minister was accompanied by Mr. Bhupinder Yadav, who is Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and General Secretary of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
5. About the housing of Lawyers, Law Minister expressed his inability and said that it is the State’s subject, but he assured to talk with Delhi Development Authority for Delhi Lawyers in this regard.
Press Conference today:-
6. The Hon’ble Law Minister in the meeting stated that he will constitute a Committee of some lawyers and officials in order to find out the ways and means for some welfare measures of advocates; But at this moment he expressed his inability to grant any corpus fund from the Union Government for the purpose of welfare measures of lawyers.
7. After the discussion was concluded, the Bar Council of India held its Press Conference in which the representatives of Co-ordination Committee and several Bar Associations including the Chairman and Members of Delhi Bar Council also participated.
8. In its Press Release the Bar Council of India, Bar Council of Delhi, Coordination Committee have expressed their dissatisfaction and dismay on the hollow assurances given by the Union Government. The Bar was under the impression that after witnessing the Unity and Reaction of about 18 lakhs lawyers of the country, the Government would accept the genuine demands of the lawyers (which are all the responsibility of Welfare State).
9. The Bar Council of India, Delhi Bar Council, Coordination Committee of all the District Bar Associations of Delhi & NCR and Punjab and Haryana Bar Council expressed their thanks and gratitude to large number of advocates who participated in today’s Rally. The lawyers’ bodies under the leadership of Bar Council of India again met in the evening at 5.00 PM in order to discuss about the latest development and future course of action.
10. The Bar Council of India has decided to convene the meeting of representatives of all the State Bar Councils, Co-ordination Committee of Bar Associations of Delhi & NCR, the other Bar Associations of the country on 2nd March, 2019 in the premises of Bar Council of India, and it is further resolved that if, before the issuance of notification of Parliamentary elections, the government does not accept the demands of the Advocates, the lawyers would be constrained to take some strong decision. The Council was/ is hopeful that after seeing the historic rally, not only at Delhi but at all the State capitals and seeing the strong unity of lawyers, at least grant of some fund could have been announced by the Union Law Minister for or the infrastructure of the Bar Associations and Social Security of Lawyers. But nothing has been done so far and this has led to further dissatisfaction and annoyance of lawyers. And therefore the representatives are meeting on 2nd March 2019 again.
| Sd/- Manan Kumar Mishra Chairman Bar Council of India |
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| Sd/- K. C. Mittal Chairman Bar Council of Delhi |
Sd/- B. S. Jakhar Chairman Co-Ordination Committee |
| Sd/- D. K. Singh Vice Chairman Bar Council of Delhi |
Sd/- Nagendra Kumar Secretary Co-Ordination Committee |
Press Release 12th February, 2019
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