As per a recent circular issued by the Department of Law, Government of N.C.T. of Delhi, the mandatory registration under the Chief Minister Advocate's Welfare Scheme for practising Advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of Delhi for the year 2023 will commence with effect from today i.e. March 16.

The 2023 Advocate's welfare scheme provides a life cover of Rs. 10,00,000/- (Rupees Ten Lakh) and group medi-claim insurance coverage for Advocates and their spouse and two dependent children up to the age of 25 years, for a family floater sum assured of Rs. 5,00,000/- (Rupees Five Lakh).

Registration under the same is mandatory and the Advocates can get themselves registered at the website 'www.cmaws.delhi.gov.in' registration is said to take place from March 16 to March 31, 2023 (11:59 PM).

The Advocate's welfare scheme in the past was surrounded with controversy on limiting the benefits of the scheme to Advocates having names in the voter list of G.N.C.T of Delhi. The welfare scheme was challenged before the Delhi HC alleging discrimination on the basis of names on the voter list in Delhi having no reasonableness.

The Delhi High Court bench of Justice Pratibha Singh held that "the benefit of the Chief Minister's Advocates' welfare scheme shall extend to all advocates registered with the Bar Council of Delhi, irrespective of whether they are registered as a voter in the national capital. The bench held that primacy is to be given to the place of practice and not a place of residence."

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