The Bar Council of India (BCI) has urged lawyers across the country to hold a nationwide protest on February 12 to press for their demands which include allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for the welfare of advocates and litigants.
The decision was taken after a joint meeting of the BCI with the representatives of all state bar councils and high court bar associations and the coordination committee of bar associations of Delhi on February 2.
It was decided in the meeting to give a call to the lawyers to come on roads in order to protect their rights and privileges, some of the lawyers said.
BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said if the demands are not met even after the protest, they will appeal to the lawyers not to vote for the BJP.
"The lawyers' bodies are meant to save the democracy and the independence of judiciary and all other institutions...No central government has ever given a thought to the welfare of the lawyers as if we are not citizens of the country," Mishra said.
The demands put forth by the lawyers include that all the bar associations of the country should have chambers, adequate building, sitting facilities with well-equipped libraries, e-libraries, internet facilities, toilet etc and separate sitting and toilet facilities for lady advocates.
"In about 80 percent of the court complexes, there are no proper facilities for the lawyers or the litigants," Mishra said.
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"Budgetary allocation of Rs 5000 crores for lawyers and litigants welfare in the Union Annual Budget in order to provide insurance cover of upto Rs 20 lakh for lawyers and their families (dependants), stipend for needy new entrants at the Bar up to five years of their practice (minimum Rs 10,000 per month) and financial protection to lawyers and their dependants in case of untimely death or incapacitation by reason of disease, accident etc," said a statement by the BCI.
The BCI further demanded that the budgetary fund would be managed by the state bar councils and the ratio to be distributed to different state bar councils shall be decided by the apex bar body.
It also demanded that the government should frame schemes to acquire lands at cheaper and necessary changes in the legal services authority act so that functions under the act could be discharged by the lawyers and not by the judges or judicial officers only.
The BCI chairman will also meet leaders of all political parties including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union ministers to discuss the demands of advocates on February 12.
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