Cuttack: The Odisha State Bar Council Wednesday decided during a meeting to provide financial assistance to lawyers affected by the 21-day lockdown imposed due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The resolution passed by the Special Committee of the Bar Council said only lawyers who have been involved in the profession for less than 10 years will be provided assistance.
It further stated that the affected lawyers would receive financial assistance from the council’s Advocates Welfare Corpus Fund on submission of applications by the lawyers through their respective bar associations.
Courts across the state are closed due to pandemic coronavirus. As a result, many lawyers have temporarily lost their livelihoods and are facing extreme financial hardship on account of the lockdown.
Advocate General of Odisha, Ashok Kumar Parija, has decided to appeal through Bar Associations to all its members having more than 15 years of practice to donate funds generously to the Bar Council for the purpose of providing financial assistance to the advocates.
Meanwhile, the High Court has fixed Friday to consider a plea for grant of ex gratia to lawyers during the lockdown.
PNN
