On Monday, the Supreme Court transferred petitions to itself pending in different High Courts seeking financial aid to advocates due to COVID-19.
On Monday, the Supreme Court transferred petitions to itself pending in different High Courts seeking financial aid to advocates due to COVID-19.
The bench consisting of Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian ordered the transfer of the cases and during the proceedings on Monday, there was a confusion as to whether the petition in the Madras High Court on the matter was disposed of or not.
Senior Advocate Dr AG Chelliah clarified that Chennai High Court disposed of the case last July, but Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India, disputed this claim and said that the case is still pending in the High Court. Finally, the bench decided to order the transfer of the Chennai HC case as well. When Dr Chelliah protested, the CJI it will be clarified when the HC submits its office report.
On July 22, Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the economic difficulty of advocates during COVID-19 pandemic and issued notices to the Bar Council of India, State Bar Councils, Registrar Generals of High Courts and recognized bar associations. Few weeks earlier, the Bar Council of India in turn had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking financial aid for lawyers in the form of measures such as interest free loan of up to Rs.3 lakhs.
OnSeptember 28, during the proceeding the Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde, commented that COVID-19 cannot be a 'boon' for advocates who were not having income prior to pandemic. CJI remarked, "If there is an advocate who had no income even before the pandemic, would you like to give him an amount so that he starts making money now and it becomes a source of income? You have to be careful, the pandemic cannot become a boon."
The bench consisting of Chief Justice of India S A Bobde, Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian ordered the transfer of the cases and during the proceedings on Monday, there was a confusion as to whether the petition in the Madras High Court on the matter was disposed of or not.
Senior Advocate Dr AG Chelliah clarified that Chennai High Court disposed of the case last July, but Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, Chairman of the Bar Council of India, disputed this claim and said that the case is still pending in the High Court. Finally, the bench decided to order the transfer of the Chennai HC case as well. When Dr Chelliah protested, the CJI it will be clarified when the HC submits its office report.
On July 22, Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the economic difficulty of advocates during COVID-19 pandemic and issued notices to the Bar Council of India, State Bar Councils, Registrar Generals of High Courts and recognized bar associations. Few weeks earlier, the Bar Council of India in turn had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking financial aid for lawyers in the form of measures such as interest free loan of up to Rs.3 lakhs.
OnSeptember 28, during the proceeding the Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde, commented that COVID-19 cannot be a 'boon' for advocates who were not having income prior to pandemic. CJI remarked, "If there is an advocate who had no income even before the pandemic, would you like to give him an amount so that he starts making money now and it becomes a source of income? You have to be careful, the pandemic cannot become a boon."