CUTTACK: Odisha State Bar Council on Wednesday decided to provide financial assistance to advocates in view of the unprecedented situation of the lockdown.
The resolution passed by the Special Committee of the Bar Council said the assistance will be provided to needy advocates having less than 10 years of practice. The committee took the decision “in recognition of the fact that many advocates are of limited means and are facing extreme financial hardship on account of the lockdown.”
Representations received from members of different Bar Associations had appealed for financial assistance citing the plight of lawyers due to non-functioning of Orissa High Court and all other subordinate courts. The resolution said the financial aid will be provided from the Odisha State Bar Council Advocates’ Welfare Corpus Fund on submission of applications by the lawyers through their respective bar associations.
Besides, the committee headed by Ashok Kumar Parija has decided to appeal through Bar Associations to all its members having more than 15 years of practice to donate funds generously to the Bar Council for the purpose of providing financial assistance to the advocates. Meanwhile, the High Court has fixed Friday to consider a plea for grant of ex gratia to lawyers during the lockdown.
The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanju Panda and Justice Biswanath Rath fixed the date after taking up a PIL filed through e-mail on Monday by advocate Dillip Kumar Ray for payment of financial assistance of `25,000 for three months to lawyers in the State.