AP Assembly Passes Two Bills for Welfare of Advocates and Clerks

Vijayawada: The AP Legislative Assembly has passed two bills on Tuesday to ensure the welfare of advocates and advocates’ clerks. The aims and objects were these: The Advocates' Welfare Fund Committee has stated that, in view of the bifurcation of the combined AP in 2014 and consequent bifurcation of the erstwhile Bar Council of AP, consisting of thirteen districts, the existing section 4 of the Advocates' Welfare Fund Act, 1987 has to be amended to nominate three members to the Advocates' Welfare Fund Committee, from the thirteen districts. The Advocates' Welfare Fund Committee stated that to avoid delay in granting claim amounts to the applicants by the Advocates' Welfare Fund Committee, after expiry of the prescribed term of five years for the members to hold office of the Bar Council, it is necessary to amend section 4 of the Principal Act to conform to the period of the tenure of the Bar Council. After considering the suggestions of the bar associations, the Bar Council of AP passed the following resolution: "To repeal Section 12B of the Principal Act and to enhance "Nyayavadula mariyu vaari Gumasthala Samkshema Nidhi Stamp" value from the existing `100 to `250 in which a sum of `228 shall be credited to the Advocates' Welfare Fund and `22 shall be credited to the Advocates' Clerks' Welfare Fund." After considering the above circumstances, the Bar Council of AP and the AP Advocates' Welfare Fund Committee have recommended to amend sections 4, 4, 12, 12A and to omit section 12B of the Principal Act.