Enact health welfare scheme for lawyers, ex-BCI member urges Haryana govt

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 3

Espousing concerns of lawyers’ fraternity in Haryana, former Member of the Bar Council of India Jagdev on Saturday urged the state government to enact a health welfare scheme for it on the pattern of policy being implemented by the government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

Jagdev said the government of NCT of Delhi has put in place Chief Minister’s Advocates’ Welfare Scheme which provides insurance cover of medi-claim of rupees 5 lakh for each practising lawyer and his family members.

The eligibility to avail the scheme is that the prospective beneficiary has to be enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi and a resident of Delhi.

Jagdev said the possibility of a delegation of legal fraternity meeting Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar in the matter cannot be ruled out.

He said that about a large number of lawyers who are natives of Haryana are enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi.

“There is a growing view among the fraternity that the Haryana government should also frame a health and other welfare schemes for the lawyers practising in the state,” Jagdev said.

Also a member Bar Council of Delhi, Jagdev urged Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to relax the eligibility norms of the Chief Minister’s Advocate’s Welfare Scheme to cover lawyers of Haryana and other parts of NCR who are enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi, but do not reside in Delhi.

A large number of lawyers hailing from NCR are members of Bar Council of Delhi and practise in different courts here by commuting to and fro from their native places. Lawyers from Haryana account for a good chunk of them.

Pitching for lawyer’s welfare, he said the legal profession is most respected in advanced countries and democracies around the world. Lawyers, individually and collectively, are symbols of a vibrant democracy. Hence, their welfare must be ensured.