LI Network
Published on: December 25, 2023 at 00:55 IST
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association unanimously passed a resolution to eliminate the mandatory requirement for advocate members to file a minimum of five cases annually to qualify for medical and death claim benefits.
The association further decided to extend the coverage to include the spouses and children of advocate members within the scheme.
The decision to abolish the annual case filing quota stemmed from instances last year where numerous advocates faced sudden, severe illnesses, preventing them from meeting the prescribed quota and subsequently being denied financial assistance from the Bar Association. The dissatisfaction among lawyers led to demands for the removal of this requirement for assistance.
However, the move has faced opposition from former association members, with Radhakant Ojha challenging the decision’s validity based on the Bar Association’s bylaws. These bylaws state that amendments must be carried out through a secret ballot with a two-thirds majority.
Additionally, former association president Rakesh Pandey expressed concern, emphasizing that while the General Assembly holds the authority to amend bylaws, it should be done with a two-thirds majority vote. Pandey and Ojha criticized the impracticality of amending the bylaws through a unanimous motion and raised concerns about the lack of prior notice for the general meeting.
Despite the controversy, the current executive of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association disclosed that a substantial amount has been distributed for death claims and medical claims from February 21 to November 30, 2023.
Over Rs 58 lakh has been allocated for death claims, and more than Rs 88.5 lakh has been designated for medical claims during this period, highlighting the financial assistance provided to affected individuals.
