Delhi HC sets up panel to examine, recommend welfare measures for lawyers' clerks

The Delhi High Court on Thursday decided to set up a committee to examine and give recommendations on providing several welfare measures like provident fund, pensions and group insurance policies to clerks of lawyers.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said the panel would comprise the Registrar General of the high court, two senior advocates, the president and secretary of the Delhi High Court Bar Association and a nominee from the clerks' association.

The court issued the direction in view of the "important" role played by the clerks in the legal system.

The bench said that the committee after examining the issues shall submit a report before the court.

It was hearing a PIL moved by an association representing lawyers' clerks seeking social security and welfare measures for them.

The bench asked the Centre, the Delhi government, the Bar Council of Delhi and the Registry of the high court to file their responses to the plea within four weeks.

The petition, by the Delhi High Court Bar Clerks Association, has sought enforcement of several welfare measures like providing for provident fund, pensions and group insurance policies.

It has claimed that several states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh have already enacted a law to promote the welfare of clerks who have to depend on charity and donation of the advocates employing them.

The association, which represents over 20,000 lawyers' clerks working in the various courts of the national capital, has contended that its members have been deprived of their fundamental rights, including right to medical benefits to a workman.

In its petition, the association has urged the court to direct the authorities to promote, safeguard and implement the clerks' fundamental rights to social security and welfare measures.