'Trust Has Provided Free Medical Insurance to Lawyers, Clerks Every Year': Supreme Court Advocates-On-Record Welfare Trust Responds To SCAORA's Resolution

The Supreme Court Advocates On Record Welfare Trust has responded to the Supreme Court Advocates On Record Association's recent Resolution calling upon the Trust to desist from using SCAOR in its name along with SCAORA's address in its operations and activities.

Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra on behalf of the Trust has stated that since its creation the Trust has raised funds from Senior Advocates and others and has been providing free medical insurance every year to lawyers, clerks and their families.

Mr Luthra, who is also the Managing Trustee of the Trust, has stated that during COVID times since 2020, relying on contributions and costs, the Trust has been providing financial aid based on lists provided by SCAORA, apart from arranging oxygen cylinders to members during the second wave of COVID this year. Also, the President, Vice President and Secretary of the Association have been the ex officio members of the Trust since its inception.

According to Mr Luthra, when SCAORA expressed a desire to disassociate, the Trust had by resolution requested SCAORA nominees to get a resolution passed so that an appropriate modification could be made to the Trust deed as per law.

" The resolution has now been the trust will continue with its work as before and the SCAORA resolution will be considered in the next meeting of the Trust." Mr Luthra has said.

Objection To The Trust Deed Rejected In The Past: Trust

The Trust has stated that issues including welfare schemes being restricted to Advocates on Record only, the name of AOR not being used etc. have been raised in the past. However, in the General Body Meeting held on 8th July 2017 SCAORA, the objection to the trust deed was rejected with an overwhelming majority, the Trust said.

Medical Insurance Coverage Provided to Advocates: Trust

The Trust has informed Live Law that it has been providing medical insurance coverage for advocates for an amount of 5 lakhs and for clerks for an amount of 1 lakh.

"In 2019- 2020, 450 advocates and their families have been provided the cover along with 300 clerks and their families. In 2020 -2021 , 422 advocate and their families availed of the cover along with 200 clerks and their families", the Trust has said.

The Trust has further stated that the insurance coverage is provided without taking any premium from the advocates or the clerks, and the premium of about 85 lakhs along with GST was paid for the year 2019.-2020 and premium of about 65 lakhs was paid for the year 2020-2021.

'The trust uses the interest on the corpus and the generous donations of Senior Advocates for this purpose' the Trust said.

Details of Premiums and Lives Covered: The Following details have been provided by the Trust regards the premiums and the lives covered:

2014-2015 Rs 15,09,3821, for 611 advocate and 191 clerks

2015-2016 : Rs 2667284 Lives 1737

2016-2017 : Rs 2361339 Lives 2543

2017-2018 : Rs 3813560 Lives 2545

2018-2019 : Rs 5617549 Lives 2028

It may be noted that the Trust's response has come to the SCAORA's Resolution dated July 18th asking the Trust to desist from using SCAOR in its name, saying that by virtue of the Trust using the words 'Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record' in its name along with SCAORA's address, it has received substantial contributions by way of costs and donations.

SCAORA had also said that the elected Executive Committee of SCAORA in office has no access to or control over the Trust property received by the Trust.