New Delhi: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the Chief Ministers seeking financial help for all young and not financially well off advocates who are struggling to meet ends meet following the lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic.
The council has requested them to make a provision for providing financial help of Rs 20,000 per month for all young and needy lawyers registered with the state bar councils. BCI also requested the PM and the CMs to create a helpline number, an email and a WhatsApp number for the above said purpose.
The COVID-19 outbreak has led to courts working in a restricted manner and hearing only matters of "extreme urgency". The Supreme court has also ordered the closure of lawyers' chambers.
In its letter, the council said that a large number of advocates live from day to day and now, the restricted working of the courts have been affecting their income severely.
"It is a question of keeping themselves and their families alive, by providing them with basic food and taking care of their medicinal and health needs. The families of many advocates have come to the stage of starvation and soon huge numbers will follow suit," the letter said.
The letter further said that the advocates are amongst the highest taxpayers of the country and the taxpayers' money could be used to provide financial assistance to the financially weak advocates.
"Advocates of the country are still, even in the face of adversity and risk of health and life, discharging our social duty and for those of us, who are not in a position to get opportunities to earn their bread and butter due to the crisis are/is required to be taken care of and provided for by the Central/State Governments," said the BCI.
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