Members of UP Bar Council seek removal of Advocate General

Members of Uttar Pradesh Bar Council today sought removal of state Advocate General alleging that under him the disbursement of government funds meant for welfare of lawyers was "highly arbitrary".
They also threatened of a state-wide campaign to press for their demand.
Advocate General Surya Prakash Gupta had taken the charge after resignation of incumbent Jyotindra Mishra last year in March.
"The state government contributes Rs 20 crore every year for a special fund set up for the welfare of advocates. This fund is controlled by UP Adhivakta Kalyan Nidhi Nyasi Samiti which is headed by the Advocate General SP Gupta.

"The fund has received a total of Rs 40 crore in the last couple of years. But the disbursement has been highly arbitrary," UP Bar Council Chairman Ajay Kumar Shukla told reporters at a press conference.
He said "the Advocate General has been woefully unconcerned about the welfare of lawyers, even though he is himself a practitioner of this profession."

"We, therefore, urge the state government to immediately replace Gupta with someone who has his ear to the ground," Shukla said.
Addressing the same press conference, UP Bar Council Vice-Chairman Janaki Sharan Pandey said, "we are going to launch a state-wide stir to press the demand."

A meeting of Bar Council members, comprising representatives of all districts, will be held at Lucknow on July 20 to decide further course of action unless the demand for Gupta's removal is accepted, Pandey said.