A Government Order issued in 2010 specifies that the topmost lawyer of the State government, the Advocate General, will get an appearance fee of Rs 10,000 per case per day with a maximum of Rs 40,000 for a batch of cases apart from a monthly retention fee of Rs 23,000.
For government lawyers dealing with criminal cases, such as Public Prosecutors and Additional Public Prosecutors, the appearance fee is even lower at Rs 300 per case per day before a single judge and Rs 500 before a bench.
Worst off seem to be the Special Public Prosecutors, who claim they do not even get retention fee though the amount paid for appearance was slightly higher. Lawyers said the mismatch between what they get in private practice and what they are being paid for representing the State was so huge that it was dissuading good talent from appearing for the government.
“The only reason why many lawyers do the work is because of the name you get. Many feel a stint as a government lawyer will add value to your career when you go back to private practice,” said another government advocate.