Lockdown: Bar Council of TN And Puducherry To Provide Rs. 4,000 Each To About 12,000 Needy Lawyers; [Read Press Note]

The Council has also requested the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to take steps to have regular court sittings from the month of June by taking into consideration of all aspects in this regard.

Last month, the Bar Council had called for applications from all eligible Advocates seeking financial assistance amid the lockdown.

In response to the same, over 1,700 applications were received by the Council. As per the press note issued today, 1,200 applicants were found to be eligible as per the scheme and accordingly, Rs. 4,000 each from the total available fund of Rs. 5 crore in the BCTN Advocates Relief Fund, will be disbursed to each of such applicant.

"Considering the large number of eligible claims and with limited resources, the Bar Council has unanimously resolved to disburse a sum of Rs.4,000/- to the eligible advocates by way of cheque and the same will be distributed through the members of the Bar Council and the President/Secretaries of the respective Bar/Advocates Associations," the Council has intimated.

It has been clarified that those applicants, who are not members in any Bar/ Advocates Association, may collect their cheques from the nearest association of their area. As far as Chennai is concerned, they may collect the cheques from the Bar Council Counters.

As per the press note,

Totally, the Bar Council had received contributions to the tune of Rs.1 crore from amongst the Judges, Senior Advocates, Advocates and others. Further, the Bar Council had contributed a sum of Rs. 3 crores from the General Fund of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and a sum of Rs. 1 crore from Mr. S. Prabakaran, Senior Advocate, Chairman, Bar Council of India Advocates Welfare Fund Committee. Thus, nearly a sum of Rs. 5 crores was available with the Bar Council in the BCTN Advocates Relief Fund.

Further, the Council has now urged all the Bar/ Advocates Associations to contribute liberally, "not less than 25% of the fund available in the respective associations" to meet out this extraordinary situation.

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