Plea moved before Delhi HC to grant medical, term insurance to advocates registered under CM Advocates Welfare Fund

Bar Council of Delhi through its Chairman, KC Mittal has moved a petition before the Delhi High Court, seeking a direction to the Delhi Government to grant medical and term insurance to advocates who have duly registered for the CM Advocates' Welfare Fund. (BCD vs Delhi Government- Advocates Welfare Fund).The matter was heard by a Single Judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh yesterday. While listing the matter for hearing on June 18, the Court allowed the Delhi Government to place on record certain documents to show the steps taken by it to implement the scheme..In the Petition filed through Advocates Amit Prakash Shahi and Yugansh Mittal, the Bar Council of Delhi (Petittioner) has informed that advocates who are enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi and are voters of Delhi were the beneficiaries under the CM Advocates Welfare Scheme. .As per the Welfare Scheme announced by the Delhi Government, the advocates are entitled to medical insurance of Rs 5 lakh and term insurance of Rs 10 lakh..CM’s Advocates Welfare Scheme: Committee proposes Group Term Insurance, Group Medi-Claim, e-library, creche for advocates.The Petitioner has submitted that since January-February 2019 when Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a budgetary provision of Rs 50 crores for financial year 2019-2020, the advocates have been desperately waiting for these welfare schemes by Delhi Government.Unfortunately, there has been an unduly delay and the welfare schemes are yet to be implemented, it is added..The Petitioner has also stated that while some advocates got themselves registered for the scheme, others were unable to do so till the April 14 deadline on account of the lockdown and Delhi Government's server being down.."..more than 1 and ½ months has elapsed, but the schemes have not been implemented so far, despite egistration of various advocates, leaving aside those who could not register due to inefficiency of Respondent No. 1. It may be pertinent to point out that those insurance policies as promised are necessary to provide treatment to lawyers, particularly during Covid-19.", it is stated..In view of the COVID-19 and apprehension of the lapse of budgetary allocation, the Petitioner has prayed for a direction to the Delhi Government to grant the medical and term insurance policy to advocates who already registered for the CM Advocates' Welfare Fund..Centre was represented by Standing Counsel Anil Soni..Standing Counsel Rahul Mehra, Additional Standing Counsel Satyakam appeared for Delhi Government. .Read the Order: