The Orissa High Court on Monday issued notice to the State Government on extending benefits to the practising lawyers as well as law students.
Acting on a PIL writ petition filed by Dillip Kumar Mohapatra, the division bench of Chief Justice V Gopalagowda and Justice BK Mishra has directed the government to file its response in two weeks.
The petitioner has prayed before the Court to direct the government to provide stipend and hostel accommodation to the law students as well as extend benefits to the fresh lawyers who are practising in various courts in the State.
Mohapatra submitted that over 40,000 lawyers are practising in the State and the government has made no provision for any assistance to them for their sustenance while help is being extended to other categories of professionals and students.
He stated that junior lawyers, especially in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, are facing a lot of difficulties while appealing to the Court to provide them essential commodities at subsidised rate and hostel accommodation. The petitioner has also appealed to the Court to direct the government formulate a scheme for the purpose.