Sr adv moves Delhi HC for direction to govt to release his fees

A senior advocate Monday approached the Delhi High Court for directing the AAP government to release his fees of around Rs 29 lakhs for appearing and representing the state in various matters before the court.

Senior advocate Anoop George Chaudhary, in his plea, said his name was on the notified panel of senior lawyers authorised to appear for the Delhi government which is yet to clear his fees/ dues for the period from January 30 to February 12, 2018.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru directed the counsel for Delhi government to take instructions as to how and when will it process the issue.

"Some respect has to be maintained for the senior advocates. Tell your client (Delhi government) that senior advocates cannot be expected to have 'vakalatnama'. If you can't pay their fees, you tell them that you can't pay. Don't ask a senior advocate to give you documents for the fees, the way you treat your contractors," the court said.

Senior advocate A S Chandiok, representing Chaudhary, said the government was asking the senior lawyer to give brief transfer form (BTF) for clearing the bills.

"It is pertinent to mention that the general practice followed by the Delhi government is that BTF is not issued to senior advocates and hence the same cannot be demanded from the petitioner," said the petition, filed through advocates Ashish Mohan and Mohit Kumar.

It said that in November 2017, the Delhi government had empanelled various senior advocates for conducting cases on its behalf before the Delhi High Court and for giving legal opinion in which Chaudhary's was also mentioned.

As per the November 2017 order, the fees for appearance before the high court and for giving legal opinion was also determined at Rs 1.21 lakh, inclusive of clerkage at 10 per cent and Rs 55,000 respectively.

The senior advocate sought court's direction to the Delhi government to clear his dues with a penal interest of 24 per cent per annum.