The Calcutta High Court issued notice on a plea seeking to frame a scheme for granting financial assistance to lawyers who may require such assistance in view of the fact that work in the Courts has come to a standstill due to the outbreak of pandemic Corona Virus COVID19 and subsequent Nationwide Lockdown.
The Calcutta High Court issued Notice to the Bar Council of West Bengal and sought their reply by April 23.
A division bench of the High Court of Calcutta comprising of Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee registered a petition on a letter received by the Calcutta High Court Bar Association for invoking the provisions of the West Bengal Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 1991 and the West Bengal Advocates’ Welfare Corporation Act, 2012 to provide financial assistance to the needy lawyers amid COVID 19 Lockdown.
According to the letter of High Court Bar Association, the Bar Council of West Bengal maintains a fund wherein financial assistance is provided to lawyers not in good health and in case of death, the Council provides funeral expenses of Rs 10,000 to the spouse of the deceased lawyer. In addition to it a monthly amount of Rs 2,000 is paid for a period of 3 years from the date of death of the lawyer. It was contended in the letter why this amount should not be utilized for the benefit of distressed lawyers, who are unable to afford basic amenities like food etc in these times of crisis.
The matter would now be heard on April 23.
-India Legal Bureau