Allow Cookies!
By using our website, you agree to the use of cookies
In the case of Vaibhav Sharma v. Advocates Welfare Trusts & Ors., the Advocates Welfare Trust has informed the HC that the advocates who are members of the trust would get reimbursed for the medical expenses that have been incurred by them due to COVID-19. The bench in this case comprised of the Hon’ble Chief Justice and Justice Prateek Jalan.
The Respondents i.e. Advocates Welfare Trust & Ors. have been represented through ASG Mr. Sanjay Jain. He “contended before the bench that “a detailed report has been filed by the Trust Committee according to which, those advocates who are members of the said Welfare Trust may avail the benefit of reimbursement of medical expenses incurred on the treatment of Covid19.” He also submitted there will be ex-gratia grants from the relief funds as well. For the same Rs. 2 Crores have already been disbursed, a subcommittee would also be constituted for the same. He has also submitted that “the Trust has limited means but unlimited demands.”
Further, it has also been stated that the trust receives funds from only 3 sources since e-filing is done without advocates welfare stamps, the trust is not receiving funds from one of those sources since lockdown was enforced due to the Pandemic from March 2020. H has also pointed out that there are only a few members in the trust and has requested other advocates to get a membership as well, so as to extend the benefit to them as well. He has also pointed out that the Bar Council of Delhi has released the deposit of 20% of the enrollment fees.
Mr, K.C. Mittal, the chairman on Bar Council of Delhi has also filed a report indicating the measures extended y the council to its members. He has also submitted that the further exploration of possibilities such as insurance policy and social security is still on. As per the report, a sum of “Rupees Eight Crore Twenty Two Lakh Forth Thousand” has been released since the enforcement of the lockdown, and further process is still on.
The court has appreciated the stand taken by the Bar Council of Delhi extending the welfare activities to its members despite the limited funds. The petitioner has pointed out that other than the trust corpus the welfare trust should also try exploring the possibility of providing advance money to the advocates who are suffering due to COVID-19. The petitioner has also submitted that they would give more suggestions to the Welfare Trust and Bar Council. The matter is now to be adjourned to 10th August 2020 after the request of counsel form both sides.
86540
103860
630
114
59824