CM Advocate Welfare Policy: HC Grants Last Opportunity To Delhi Bar Council To Submit List Of Verified Lawyers Eligible For Benefits

The Delhi High Court on Friday gave one last and final opportunity to Bar Council of Delhi to place on record the complete list of verified lawyers who, according to it, are entitled to be issued the policies. 

A single judge bench comprising of Justice Pratibha M Singh also asked New India Assurance Company Limited (NIACL) to submit a status report giving the number of lawyers to whom policies have been issued and whose names are found as ineligible by the Government of NCT of Delhi.

"Despite repeated directions, the BCD has not taken proper steps for verification of the lawyers. One last and final opportunity is granted to the BCD to place on record the complete list of verified lawyers who, according to it, are entitled to be issued the policies. If any of the verified lawyers are found ineligible as per the GNCTD, the said list shall be separately filed by the BCD. The list shall be placed on record, along with a status report, by 25th May, 2021." The Court directed.

The development came after NIACL raised an issue in respect of discrepancies in the number of verified lawyers who are entitled to healthcare policies.

It was submitted by the Delhi Government that there were only 24,033 lawyers who have been duly verified by the Bar Council of Delhi whose names are in the voters list and that only these lawyers were entitled to NIACL policies.

It was thus submitted by NIACL that payments have already been made for 29,077 advocates and e-cards have also been issued for them. The Court was also apprised that total number of ineligible lawyers, according to GNCTD, were 5,044. 

In view of this, the Court noted thus:

"This Court appreciates the predicament of NIACL, owing to the lack of coordination by the BCD with the GNCTD in finalising the list of lawyers who are entitled to the policies."

The Court went ahead to order thus:

"NIACL to also place on record a status report giving the number of lawyers to whom policies have been issued and the number of lawyers whose names are found to now be ineligible by the GNCTD. If any claims have been received from lawyers, who are found to be ineligible by the GNCTD, the details of the said lawyers shall also be placed on record."

The Court will now hear the matter on May 31.

Title: Govind Swaroop Chaturvedi v. State of NCT of Delhi & Ors.

Click Here To Read Order