CUTTACK: Deputy solicitor general of India and Odisha State Bar Council member, senior advocate Prasanna Kumar Parhi, has urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan to approve a substantial enhancement of retirement benefits for advocates and enact a dedicated Advocates Protection Act in Odisha.
In a memorandum, Parhi sought the government’s approval for increasing the retirement benefit under the Advocates’ Welfare Fund Scheme from the existing Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 9 lakh, while also requesting a corresponding enhancement in the state’s contribution to the Advocates’ Welfare Fund Trust to sustain the revised benefit.
Parhi said advocates constitute an indispensable pillar of the administration of justice but unlike many other professions, a large number of independent practitioners have no pension or assured post-retirement financial security. “The Advocates’ Welfare Fund, therefore, serves as the primary source of financial assistance to advocates and their families after retirement,” the memorandum said.
He also referred to the Advocates’ Welfare Fund Trust Committee meeting held on December 24, 2024, which unanimously resolved to recommend enhancement of the retirement benefit to Rs 9 lakh, and said the proposal had already been forwarded to the government for approval.
“In view of the rising cost of living, increasing medical expenses, and the financial challenges faced by advocates after retirement, enhancement of the retirement benefit has become an urgent necessity,” the memorandum stated.
Welcoming the present government’s decision to increase the annual contribution from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore, Parhi said the move had been widely appreciated by the legal fraternity and reflected the government’s commitment towards advocates’ welfare.
He also appealed to the state government to enact an Advocates Protection Act, citing growing instances of threats, intimidation, harassment and assaults on lawyers during the discharge of their professional duties.
“An effective Advocates Protection Act would provide a statutory mechanism for safeguarding advocates against unlawful acts committed in connection with the discharge of their professional obligations, ensure prompt investigation and prosecution of offenders, and instil confidence among members of the Bar to perform their duties fearlessly and independently,” the memorandum said.
