Bombay high court

NAGPUR: A lawyer has approached Nagpur bench of Bombay high court contending that many from the legal fraternity are on the verge of starvation due to the nationwide lockdown.

Mohammed Arif Sheikh Dawood said that many junior lawyers, along with those from tehsil places, are facing loss of work and income due to the monthlong lockdown imposed in view of global coronavirus pandemic. Those with less than 10 years of practice are facing a harrowing time in making ends meet and feed their families, he said.

A single-judge bench comprising justice Nitin Sambre heard the plea through video conferencing, and issued notices to respondents — Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman in Delhi, Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa chairman in Mumbai, along with High Court Bar Association (HCBA) and District Bar Association in Nagpur. The respondents were told to file a reply by May 5, fixed as next hearing date.

The petitioner, practicing at district and sessions court at Khamgaon in Buldhana, contended through his counsel Mir Nagman Ali that as per Rules 40, 41, 42, 43, 44A and 44B of ‘Bar Council of India Rules’, sufficient provision has been made to create corpus of funds for distribution among lawyers in such crisis.

Due to Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown, the chief justice had directed all courts to take up extremely urgent matters only and work with minimum staff strength. The HC is also working only two days in a week and hearing cases through video conferencing. On account of all these developments, the less experienced lawyers are facing severe financial crises, he contended.

Dawood informed that though DBA had extended help of Rs2,000 each to such lawyers for survival during difficult times, it was insufficient. He wants apex bodies like BCI and state bar councils to take proactive steps for such lawyers in need. He prayed for directives to BCI and Bar Council to extend financial assistance of Rs10,000 each to needy lawyers with less than a decade of experience.

The petitioner had earlier approached BCI for monetary help, but his name wasn’t included in the list citing technical difficulties.

