"Country Needed Such A Bar-Friendly Chief Justice": BCI On CJI Ramana's Letter To Law Minister On Lawyers' Plight

The Bar Council Of India has acknowledged and appreciated Chief Justice Of India NV Ramana's letter sent to Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for granting financial assistance to the needy Lawyers of the country who are suffering for the last several months due to the situation created by COVID 19.

The press release issued by the Bar Council Of India's Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra states that:

"Our country and the system was direly in need of such a dynamic and bar- friendly Chief Justice of India who is well acquainted with ground realities of a common Lawyer."

The Bar Council of India appreciates the gesture of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana's in writing a letter to Law & IT Minister @rsprasad expressing his concern regarding the plight of Lawyers who have been suffering due to #COVID.

"Country was in dire need of bar-friendly CJ." pic.twitter.com/gFQ2uRQzj8

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) June 27, 2021

The press release further adds that for the first time, or, after a long time, the head of Indian judiciary has lent a compassionate ear and shown his serious concern to the sufferings being undergone by the Advocates' fraternity. '

The release also states that the gesture of writing to the Union Law Minister, speaks volumes about Chief Justice's concern for distressed lawyers living in miserable and pitiable conditions for the last about one and half year due to the Covid pandemic with the physical functioning of courts being, almost at a standstill.

The Council has also averred that Justice Ramana 'perfectly' realized and conveyed the real difficulties faced by the distressed and troubled Advocates and lower Judiciary, particularly, belonging to remote areas of the country.

Significantly, the press release states:

"The request made to Union Information and Technology Minister to provide effective, uninterrupted internet connections and all other required infrastructure to the stakeholders even in rural areas is really a revolutionary initiative by the Chief Justice of India. 'The Bar Council of India has been making both these demands since long, but, the Government has paid no heed to it. But, now, we are confident that the Government will come forward to the rescue of the needy Advocates."  

Lastly, valuing the gesture of the Chief Justice, the council has remarked that normally after an Advocate becomes a Judge, he forgets the real, genuine and substantial problems of the Bar.

"But Justice Ramana has proved that he remembers the hardships, particularly of young members of the Bar. This is a rare quality of a humble judge. Justice N.V Ramana has made it clear that he believes in hard work and good performance, and, not in media," adds the press release.

CJI NV Ramana yesterday released a book titled 'Anomalies in Law & Justice' written by Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice RV Raveendran. While speaking at the event, Justice Ramana said that he recently wrote to the minister of Law to evolve a mechanism to help the advocates who have lost livelihood due to the Covid pandemic and who are in dire need of financial assistance.

The Chief Justice of India NV Ramana also stated that he has requested the Telecom Minister Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad to call Telecom Companies to provide uninterrupted internet facilities to lawyers in rural areas to enable them to address the Courts.

According to CJI, some facilities can be provided in Taluk Centres and district Centres so lawyers can go there and can use the system, particularly uninterrupted internet.