PANKAJ KUMAR Vs. BAR COUNCIL OF DELHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The instant writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed as a Public Interest Litigation with the following prayers:

(2.) The Petitioner, who is 29 years of age, is a young advocate, who has enrolled himself in the Bar Council of Delhi and cleared the AIBE Examination in the year 2021. He is presently working as a junior in the chambers of a Senior Advocate. The Petitioner by way of the instant Public Interest Litigation wants to highlight the difficulties being faced by newly enrolled advocates who are finding themselves in a position where they cannot sustain themselves in Delhi. It is stated that the young advocates are unable to arrange for their accommodation, food, travelling and other expenses, and without there being any proper and consistent source of income, they are unable to make both ends meet.

(3.) It is stated by the Ld. Counsel for the Petitioner that Bar Council of India has issued a notification granting a minimum stipend for a sum of Rs.5,000.00 to all the young advocates for the initial three years of their practice. It is stated that many junior advocates are not paid anything by their seniors owing to which they are unable to concentrate on the profession. It is also stated that a survey conducted by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy demonstrates that more than 79% of the Advocates across 7 High Courts with less than two years of legal practice at the Bar are earning less than Rs.10,000.00 per month.