Insurance Scheme For Advocates, Increase In Fees For Central Government Counsel: Important Announcements By Union Law Minister

Union Minister of Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, has announced today that the Centre is coming out with an Insurance Scheme for Advocates, which will include Medical Insurance and accident coverage.

He has also announced that the fees of panel counsel for the Central Government and its institutions will be increased and that the delay in receiving fees will be addressed.

The Minister was speaking at the inaugural session of the 17th National Conference of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad at Balotra, Rajasthan.

The announcement was made towards the end of his address. "Your fees will be increased. Timely payment is not being made. We are resolving that issue also", he said to a large gathering of lawyers from across the country.

"There are many who say, we fought the case, but this Coal India (as an example) is not making payment. Isn't this an issue?", he asked the audience, laughing. The audience agreed.

"We are resolving that issue also", he said.

Announcing the Insurance Scheme for Advocates, the Minister said, "We are bringing an insurance scheme for you. Both medical insurance and group insurance. Accident will also be covered".

"Advocates' Protection Act is pending before the Law Commission. The rest of the issues will also be resolved", he assured the gathering of lawyers.

At the beginning of his speech, the Law Minister spoke about the latest amendment to the Indian Succession Act and said, "It was said in the Parliament that we brought in legislation in a hurry. That is not the case. PM Modi has been saying from the time he became the PM, that any law which is not relevant, as a part of the 'ease of living' initiative, we had done away with 562 such laws which existed, though it was not necessary... We have now done away with 71 more such laws".

"When Babasaheb Ambedkar was asked what is the soul of the Constitution; he said that it is Article 32. Today, we can say that what Babasaheb had said then has been proven to be true. Article 32 functions like the soul of the Constitution to protect the rights of the citizens, and in states, it is Article 226", he said.

He said that if the pillars of the Constitution- liberty, equality and fraternity are safe, we all will be safe and the nation will progress. He said that the 21st century belongs to Asia and India will lead Asia in this century.

During the same event, Justice Vijay Bishnoi of the Supreme Court had spoken against linguistic regionalism, saying that the same is dangerous for the Nation and that Lawyers should contribute towards ending such tendencies. (read report)

Earlier, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had said that anyone seeking the enforcement of fundamental rights through Courts should be required to first show compliance with fundamental duties provided in the Constitution of India. (read report)