Lawyers take to the streets to demand perks

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Feb. 12 (EMN): In solidarity with the demand of the Bar Council of India (BCI) for perks and facilities, the High Court Bar Association of Kohima also conducted a protest rally on Feb. 12 from the Gauhati High Court complex to the Raj Bhavan. They submitted a memorandum to the president of India through the state’s governor.
The general secretary of the High Court Bar Association of Kohima, Kekhriengulie Theünuo, clarified that there was “no specific demands for a particular state” for if “BCI speaks something than normally they go on our behalf,” he added.

Not only lawyers from the high court but also members of the Kohima Bar Association participated in the programme.
Theünuo maintained that “once the central government considers our demands than that will also extend to all the states” and added that the protest was not against the government.

“We need a certain recurements in the bar as well as for the facilities for the members and for the welfare of the entire lawyers across the country,” the generally secretary said.

The BCI’s demands that was put across to the PMO are:

1. Insurance cover up to INR 20,00,000 for lawyers and their families (dependents).

2. Medi-claim: Free medical treatment of every type of disease in ‘best hospitals’ of India and other countries for the advocates. Lawyers should be provided with a “special card” for this purpose, so that they can avail benefits of the scheme anytime and anywhere.

3. Stipend for ‘needy new entrants’ at the Bar up to five years of their practice (Minimum INR 10,000 per month).

4. Scheme for pension for old/indigent advocates and provision for family pension in case of untimely death of advocates (Minimum INR 50,000 per month).

5. Enact ‘advocates protection act’ for advocates of the country by the Parliament.

6. All the bar associations of the country should have adequate building/accommodation/sitting facilities with well equipped libraries, e-libraries, internet, toilets etc. and facilities for female advocates.

7. Interest-free housing loans, loans for library, vehicle for “needy advocates.” Government should acquire lands at cheaper rates for the housing of advocates.

8. Legal Services Authority Act: Amendments and necessary changes should be made in the Act so that the functions in this Act can be discharged by lawyers (and not the judges or judicial officers only).
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.

10. In case of untimely death of any advocate (below 65 years of age) due to accident, murder, any disease, the government should grant the family/dependents at least a sum of INR 50 lakh.