Himachal Pradesh High Court: A Division Bench of Mohammad Rafiq CJ. and Jyotsna Rewal Dua, JJ. disposed of the petition and directed to approach State Bar Council.
The instant writ petition was filed by Ms. Manisha, a practitioner Advocate of this Court, praying for a direction to the respondent-State to consider her application for grant of stipend to her as well as to those Advocates, who have not completed three years of practice on account of Covid-19.
The Court relied on Pawan Prakash Pathak v. Bar Council of India, Writ Petition (Civil) Diary No(s). 10949/2020 titled as wherein the petitioners therein were set at liberty to approach the Bar Council of India, who in turn should consider assisting its brethren, keeping in view the prevailing situation.
The Court observed that none appeared for the petitioner, when the matter was listed on the last date of hearing. Today again nobody has put in appearance on behalf of the petitioner, obviously, because of the fact that the Covid situation has eased now. The petitioner seems to have lost interest in prosecuting the present petition.
The Court thus held “in view of the observations made by the Hon’ble Supreme Court is required to approach the Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh for redressal of her grievance and that the State could not be required to pay the additional stipend available with them.”
[Manisha v. State of HP, 2022 SCC OnLine HP 1107, decided on 04-04-2022 ]
Appearances:
For respondent- Mr. Ashok Sharma and Mr. Nand Lal Thakur