Financial aid for Advocate clerks: Karnataka High Court directs State to ensure newly formed committee opens bank account for transfer of 10 lakh

Earlier this week, the Karnataka High Court directed the State Government to ensure that the Committee formed under Section 4 (1)of the Karnataka Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 1983 opens an account in a scheduled bank so that it can receive amounts transferred to it for the welfare of lawyers' clerks. .The committee was formed as per the Court's previous directions, with a view to ensure that a bank account is immediately opened in the name of the Karnataka Registered Clerks' Welfare fund so that an amount of Rs. 10 lakh can be transferred by the Karnataka State Bar Council to the said account..Karnataka High Court bats for Advocates' clerks; orders State to open bank account to provide financial assistance.“The State Government shall ensure that the Committee opens an account in a scheduled bank as may be decided by its members. Intimation of opening of account shall be sent to the Karnataka State Bar Council along with the account details. On receipt of account details of the fund, the Karnataka State Bar Council shall transfer the amount of Rs.10 lakh to the account of the said fund,” the Court ordered. .Further, the Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Suraj Govindaraj said that it would be open for the Committee to modify the decision taken on July 12 i.e. of appointing the Advocate General as the Drawing and Disbursing Officer..Karnataka State Level Advocates Clerks Association moves Karnataka HC seeking Rs 5 Cr corpus for their welfare amid COVID-19 Lockdown.The Court was hearing a batch of pleas seeking financial assistance for advocate clerks in the State owing to the COVID-19 pandemic..During the hearing of the matter, the government advocate appearing for the State, informed the Court that a Committee as contemplated under the 1983 Act has been constituted..Accordingly, the Court in its order, recorded,“Learned Additional Government Advocate states that now a Committee as contemplated under sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the Karnataka Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 1983 (for short the Act of 1983) has been constituted which will manage the Karnataka Registered Clerks' Welfare Fund established under section 27 of the said Act of 1983. The Committee will have to open an account of the fund in any scheduled bank for investing the money received by the fund.”The matter will be next taken up on August 3..[Read Order]