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The Chhattisgarh High Court recently issued notice to the State of Chhattisgarh, the Bar Council of India, and the Chattisgarh State Bar Council in a Public Interest Litigation filed seeking a monthly stipend for junior lawyers.

The bench of Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Goutham Chourdia passed the order in the plea filed by one Sana Memon, an advocate registered with the State Bar Council, and Siddhant Das, a final year law student, praying that suitable rules be framed in the State of Chhattisgarh for granting financial help to Junior lawyers.

The petitioners had contended that similar rules have been framed in the states of Jharkhand, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala for payment of stipends, therefore, in the State of Chhattisgarh too rules should be framed. 

The petitioner had alleged that in Chhattisgarh, lawyers have to pay Rs 16,000 to the State Bar Council at the time of enrollment but there is no system/regulations to provide financial help to lawyers during the early years of practice. 

Notably, the Bar Council of Kerala in December last year notified "The Kerala Advocates' Stipend Rules, 2021" in exercise of its powers conferred by section 27 read with section 9(2)(gi) of the Kerala Advocates' Welfare Fund Act, 1980, which mandates a monthly stipend of Rs. 5000 to junior lawyers.

The notification mandated that such stipend shall be disbursed from the Fund for a maximum period of three years of actual practice from the date of the Advocate passing the All India Bar Examination or up to the Advocate attaining the age of thirty years, whichever is earlier.

Case Title: Sana Meman & Another Versus State of Chhattisgarh & Others