Bar Council of Rajasthan Announces Financial Assistance to Needy Lawyers

During the lockdown period, the Bar Council of Rajasthan announced that it will transfer Rs. 5000 to Advocates in need of Financial Assistance. That is, through the Bar Council of India Advocates Welfare Fund Committee for the State. The Bar Council called out for applications from troubled advocates. Notably, the last date of submission of the application is on May 3, 2020. The specified amount will be credited to the accounts of needy advocates.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Should enrol with the Bar Council of Rajasthan and should have a real and active practice;
2. The Applicant should have passed AIBE mandatorily within the stipulated period and must enclose/refer passing acknowledgement;
3. Should have submitted Certificate and Place of Practice under Certificate of Practice Rules, 2015;
4. If the Advocate/Applicant is residing in the rented accommodation, he/she should  submit a rent agreement or self-attested affidavit;
5. The spouse of the applicant should not be an employee;
6. The applicant should not acknowledge any monthly payment from the Advocate to whom he/she is junior, as certified by his/her Senior Lawyers;
7. Advocate-applicant/applicant’s spouse should not have either immovable properties and four-wheeler;
8. The applicant was not earning monthly income Rs.10,000/- as on the relevant date.
9. Advocates enrolled after retirement from any service/ Income Tax Assesses are not eligible under this Scheme;
10. The applicant is finding himself in great difficulty for his/her livelihood or for purchase of medicine or regular treatment due to extraordinary situation;

Directions by the Bar Council of Rajasthan

The Bar Council has directed all the concerned Bar Associations to constitute a Committee. Which shall scrutinize all the applications and prepare a merit list and send the same to the Bar Council of India Advocates Welfare Fund Committee for the State of Rajasthan. However, if an applicant provides false facts to avail of the benefits under this scheme, the Bar Council will initiate disciplinary action against such person under section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, in addition to the recovery of the amount with the penalty.

In addition to this, the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association, Jaipur has called for applications from all eligible Advocates latest by May 2, 2020. The communication process was via email. The Advocates was requested not to travel to the RHCBA Jaipur office. The Association demands the applicants to ensure that they do not submit their application through more than one Bar Association. Consequently, the Bar Council of Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has decided to provide financial assistance to the distress advocates. Recently, the Bar Council of West Bengal informed the Calcutta High Court during the hearing of a letter petition that it has decided to provide financial assistance to needy lawyers.