DELHI HC - VOTER ID OF DELHI NOT IMPORTANT TO AVAIL THE BENEFITS OF CHIEF MINISTER'S ADVOCATES' WELFARE SCHEME

Justice Prathiba Singh of Delhi HC ordered to extend the benefits of Chief Minister's Advocates' welfare scheme to all advocates registered with the Bar Council of Delhi irrespective of their place of residence (Delhi or NCR). The Delhi HC further held that emphasis on the Voter ID card of Delhi in order to avail the benefit is discriminatory and arbitrary in nature.

The Delhi HC was hearing a petition seeking to extend the benefits of the Chief Minister's Advocates' welfare scheme to advocates enrolled with BCD, whether or not their name appears on the voter's ID list of Delhi or not. The Delhi HC said that primacy shall be given to the place of practice of lawyers and not residence. The Court further observed that not all advocates afford to live in the capital.

THE SCHEME

Last year, Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, announced and formed a committee to utilise the Rs. 50 crore allocated for the Advocates Welfare Fund by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The Delhi government approved the scheme earlier this year. The scheme provides benefits to Delhi lawyers, including Group Medi-Claim, Group (Term) Insurance, e-library, and creche for advocates in Delhi.

This present petition was filed in March this year to extend the benefits to advocates residing in the National capital Region but working in Delhi.

Author: Papiha Ghoshal