Monthly Stipend For Junior Advocates : Chhattisgarh High Court Issues Notice To State, Bar Councils

The Chhattisgarh High Court has issued notice to the State of Chhattisgarh,  the Bar Council of India and the Chattisgarh State Bar Council on a plea seeking monthly stipend for junior advocates.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice Goutham Chourdiya issued notice returnable within 10 days on April 13.

The petition was filed by Advocates Sana Memon and Siddhant Das praying that suitable rules be framed in the State of Chhattisgarh for granting financial help to Junior Advocates by way of monthly stipend. The petitioners pointed out that similar rules have been framed in the states of Jharkhand, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala for payment of stipend to Junior Advocates.

The petitioners pointed out that advocates have to pay around Rs 16,000/- to the State Bar Council for enrollment. However, there is no provision to support the welfare of junior advocates, especially during the difficult times of their early practice. The apprehensions about financial distress are driving away many talented law graduates from litigation, the petitioners argue. It is also stated that after the COVID-19 crisis, the situation of junior lawyers have worsened.

In 2016, The Jharkhand State Bar Council New Advocates Stipend Rules was notified. In 2020, the Government of Puducherry notified the "Government of Puducherry Grant of Stipend to Junior Advocates Scheme Rules". Andhra Pradesh Government too passed an order for granting Rs 5000 monthly stipend to junior advocates.

In December last year, the Bar Council of Kerala had notified rules to provide Rs 5000 monthly stipend for lawyers during the first three years of actual practice or till the attainment of the age of 30 years, whichever is earlier. The stipend rules were notified following the nudge by the Kerala High Court in a petition. 

The petition was filed through Advocates Praveen Das, Vivek Sharma, Gary Mukhopadhyay, Abhishek Chandra Gupta, Ayushi Agarwal.