Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry decides to extend financial assistance to advocates in need amid COVID-19 Lockdown

The Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry has unanimously resolved to extend financial aid to those advocates who are unable to sustain themselves due to the standstill in work amid the COVID-19 lockdown. .The State Bar Council has also requested Senior Advocates, other lawyers and Bar Associations to contribute to a bank account set up for this purpose. The names of contributors would be published in the Bar Council website. .In a press release issued on Tuesday, Bar Council chairman, PS Amalraj has also urged, ."I request all the members of the Bar to contribute the amount liberally to the said Account as early as possible and the advocates, who are really suffering, due to the lockdown may apply for the fund through the concerned Bar/Advocates Associations on or before 20.04.2020."TN Bar Council Press Release.The details of the bank account to which contributions may be made are as follows:Name of the Account: Bar Council of Tamilnadu and Puducherry (BCTNP) Advocates Relief FundName of Bank: Indian BankBranch: Madras High CourtAccount No: 6873278505IFSC Code: IDIB000M157.Applications for financial aid will be received from the advocates through Bar/Advocates' Associations upto April 20, 2020. The received applications should be sent directly to the Bar Council. .The list of the applicants with their particulars (Name, Enrolment Number, Phone Number) should be forwarded to the Bar Council through e-mail viz., bctnpadvrelief@gmail.com immediately after the receipt of the applications on or before April 20. .The Bar Council has also stipulated the following conditions for be eligible to avail the financial aid:The applicant was in real and active legal practice at the Bar as on the relevant date.Advocates/Applicants are required to pass AIBE mandatorily within stipulated period and must enclose/refer passing acknowledgement.Applicants should have submitted Certificate and Place of Practice application/declaration form under Certificate of Practice Rules, 2015.The applicant is not receiving any monthly payment from the Advocate to whom he/she is junior, as certified by his/her Senior lawyers.The applicant was not earning monthly income Rs. 15,000/- as on the relevant date.The applicant is finding himself in great difficulty for his subsistence or for purchase of medicine or regular treatment due to extraordinary situation.A rent agreement or self attested affidavit is to be furnish regarding who is residing in the applicant's rented accommodation.The spouse of the applicant should not be an employee.Advocate-applicant/ applicant's spouse should not have either immovable properties or four wheeler.Advocates enrolled after retirement from any service are not eligible.Income tax assesses are not eligible under this Scheme..It has also been cautioned that if, on enquiry, it is found that any applicant has furnished false particulars to avail the benefits, the Bar Council will initiate disciplinary action against such person under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, in addition to recovery of the amount with penalty as determined by the Council..The applications received by the Associations have to be scrutinized by a Committee consisting of:-The President and Secretary/Adhoc Committee Members of the AssociationThree Advocates (not less than 20 years of practice in the Bar).Anyone of the Bar Council Member of the Concerned District (if available)..After considering the applications received, the Bar Council will decide on the quantum of financial aid to be extended, depending upon the number of applications received and the availability of funds..The financial aid extended will be credited directly, through online forms to the accounts of needy advocates found eligible..View the Press Release, including the application form to apply for financial aid below: