Centre For Legislative Advocacyan Initiative By Sahayog Trust Thr. Founder Adv. A. S. Sarode And An v. State Of Maha. Thr. Secretary, Law And Judiciary Ministry, Govt. Of Maharashtra And ORS

950-pil-27-20 (new).odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 27 of 2020 Centre for Legislative Advocacy an Initiative By Sahayog Trust through Founder Adv. A.S. Sarode and another

...Petitioners

Versus

State of Maharashtra, through Secretary, Law and Judiciary Ministry, Government of Maharashtra and others

...Respondent/s

Mrs. Smita Singalkar, Advocate for the Petitioners Shri A.M. Deshpande, AGP for the Respondent - State CORAM : NITIN JAMDAR AND ANIL S. KILOR, JJ.

DATED : 27 JANUARY 2021 P.C.:

The Petitioners have sought a direction to the RespondentState of Maharashtra and Maharashtra Advocate Welfare Fund Trustee Committee and Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa for payment of Rs.10,000/- per month to lawyers with less than three years of practice and also for permanent stipend scheme for those lawyers, who are in requirement of the assistance.

2.

The foundation of this Public Interest Litigation filed in the month of May 2020 was the situation brought about by the nationwide lock-down due to Covid-19 pandemic. Due to the lock-down, the regular Court functioning was curtailed. This caused hardship to the advocates, SKNair

950-pil-27-20 (new).odt especially the junior advocates, whose cause the Petitioners have sought to espouse. Though there are other reliefs sought, what prompted the Petitioners to move this Court in public interest is the situation brought about by the lock-down.

3.

Now the Courts have resumed full-fledged functioning and the grave situation pandemic does not exist, as far as advocates are concerned, with the same rigor as earlier. The Petitioner therefore will have to place on record specifics as to even after resumption of the regular hearing of the Courts, the prayers as sought for still need to be granted. Even for the remaining prayers, no data is placed except the narration of situation during the pandemic. For espousing such causes, research needs to be done backed by tangible data and particulars. 4.

The Petition is disposed of leaving it open to the Petitioner to move the Court placing the data before the Court, in the context of the changed situation.

[ANIL S. KILOR, J.] [NITIN JAMDAR, J.] SKNair