With extended closure of courts taking its toll on litigation and lawyers, leading to depression and even death by suicide, help appears to be coming now from the judiciary.
On Tuesday, Justice Siddharth Mridul of Delhi high court contributed from his salary towards the lawyer’s welfare fund set up for Covid-19 by the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), becoming the first judge to do so.
The fund has been set up by the council to help poor and needy lawyers hit hard by the closure of physical functioning of courts due to the pandemic. In a recent hearing before the high court, the BCD had submitted that since the start of the lockdown, it has paid a Rs 5,000 each to 16,448 advocates coming to a total of Rs 8.22 crore and the process is still on.
TOI has also learnt that following justice Mridul’s example, most judges posted at Rohini court complex plan to contribute significantly towards the welfare of lawyers so that the amount can be utilised for their benefit. The subordinate court judges are leant to have sought permission from the HC in this regard.
Speaking to TOI, Bar Council of Delhi chairman K C Mittal confirmed the development. “We are indeed grateful to honourable justice Siddharth Mridul for donating Rs 1 lakh to BCD. We hope that others also come forward to donate generously,” Mittal said.
The Bar Council of India also welcomed the help coming from the judiciary. Ved Prakash Sharma, co-chairman of BCI told TOI the Council “highly appreciates the affectionate gesture of Hon'ble Justice Sidharth Mridul in making a contribution in Lawyers' welfare fund of Bar Council of Delhi for financial assistance to young and needy lawyers distressed due to the pandemic Covid 19 and continued suspension of normal court functioning which has drained out their financial resources.”
Sharma added that justice Mridul is a former member and vice chairman of BCD and “has befittingly responded to the pathetic conditions lawyers are forced to live in due to the unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic and closure of physical court functioning. This contribution made by justice Mridul will inspire all Senior members of the bar and Judges alike to do their bit for needy lawyers grappling with the worst phase of their life.”
Apart from a Covid fund, the BCD has also set up an Indigent and Disabled Lawyers' Committee, looking at the gravity of the prevailing situation, to support advocates suffering from COVID-19.
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