1.                 This is to be reverentially emphasised that India claims to be a citizen centric welfare state, endeavouring to secure the right of all men and women to an adequate means of livelihood and securing a decent standard of living for each citizen. Most prominently it aspires to confer upon its citizens ‘economic and social Justice’. Yet, in the state of Punjab, rarely does any measure for social amelioration finds a mention about Lawyers who form the fulcrum of the Indian justice system, performing a socially ideal and creative role. Not even a least burden upon the Government, the advocates in Punjab provide employment to numerous sections by associating legal staff. But when they themselves suffer, there is no body to stand by their side.

2.                 Considering the law as an economically emancipating career choice, many people of Middle & lower middle class join this profession. But, even after years of experience, they have to work as juniors or interns without getting a penny and without any office or chamber to facilitate their professional practice. A vast majority of lawyers in Punjab function on a case-to-case basis for their income and their plight is no less than a daily wage earner. Moreover, lawyers are barred to do any other business or job and their only source of income is their professional earnings, a disproportionate share of which is, again, cornered by only a small minority of seasoned lawyers. The social security and income of the lawyers does not correspond to their social utility. The widely held but misplaced presumption of lawyers ‘being a well settled and educated class’, averts them from expressing their grief so that they are greatly neglected by the government though, they barely manage to make both ends meet.

3.                 That considering the above struggle & hard fact about advocates of Punjab, “The Punjab Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 2002” was enacted on the lines of other states, so that the funds be raised for the welfare of advocates of Punjab to endow them with Group medial Insurance, Medi-claim and financial aid. It is not out of place to mention here that, on 22nd July 2014, the Akali BJP alliance govt. also amended the said Act to raise the amount of Med-claim to be provided to the advocates for the state of Punjab, but the benefits of the same could not become palpable to the needy advocates during this hard time.

4.                 The outburst of Covid 19 has further underscored the above plight of the Legal Professionals. With the declaration of nationwide lockdown and insistence on social distancing, the judiciary decided that they would only attend to extremely urgent matters. Further, the litigants are avoiding approaching the advocates as a precautionary measure to avoid the risk of Covid-19 as well as due to the financial crunch caused by the pandemic.

5.                 In compliance with India’s commitment towards becoming a Welfare State, some of the state governments, have extended a helping hand towards the advocates by coming out with different welfare schemes and even sanctioning a fund of Rs. 50.00 Crore. Similarly, State of Telangana sanctioned Rs. 25 Crores to aid lawyers amid Covid-19. But the government of Punjab has neither come out with any welfare scheme nor announced any relief package for them thus leaving advocates belonging to middle or lower middle class to fend for themselves.

It is, therefore, undersigned, being a member of legal fraternity & a resident of the state of Punjab, courteously submits before your Excellency to make an amendment in the Punjab State Welfare Act, 2002 and requests to provide below mentioned necessary benefits to the Advocates of the state of Punjab with immediate effect:

A.     Stipend of Rs. 15,000/- per month regularly to each of the advocate of the state of Punjab (Irrespective of age, year of practice) whose income is less than Rs. 7.00 Lacs in the preceding year and are not getting any benefit/income/pension from state of Punjab or Cent. Govt. The said stipend may kindly be released at the earliest i.e. within 15 days, as the advocates of the state are unable to meet their basic needs in the pandemic Covid-19.

B.     Pension of Rs. 20,000/- to all the advocates, who voluntarily retire from the profession of advocate and are not getting any pensionary or any other benefits from the state as well as Centre Government.

C.     Group medical Insurance, with the collaboration of any Insurance corporation, for practising advocates providing life cover of Rs. 10.00 Lakhs (Rupees Ten Lakhs) per advocate & for their dependant/family members upto the age of 25 years.

D.     Rs. 10.00 Lakhs lump-sum payable to the family/dependent of the advocate on his untimely death.

It is, therefore, courteously prayed that the above noted benefits be provided to the advocates of the state of Punjab with an immediate effect, so that the legal fraternity- which is the crusader for our Judicial rights may not itself languish under financial injustice.

Tel: 97815-15000

Mail: advnand@ymail.com

nkvermaassociates.com

Twitter: @advnkverma

Facebook: N.K. Verma