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To fulfil the requirement the annual gross salary should not exceed Rs 7.5 lakh or/and the monthly income Rs 60,000.
The scheme is available under the Supreme Court Middle Income Group Legal Aid Society, which is headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court with the Attorney General of India as its ex-official vice president.
Disclosing this at a news conference here today, office bearers of the society and senior counsel Ranjit Kumar and Raju Ramachandran, said middle class people who can't afford the expensive litigation in the Supreme Court can avail the services of the society for a nominal amount. The society comprises 30 prominent senior advocates, besides 100-odd advocates on record.
Counsel Ravindra Bana and president of the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association Sushil Kumar Jain were also present at the press meet.
As per the Supreme Court rules it is only through advocates on record cases can be filed before it.
According to Ranjit Kumar, any person desirous of availing the services of an advocate empanelled under the scheme will have to approach the secretary of the society by filing an application. The society's office is located at 109, Lawyers Chambers, Post Office Wing, located within the Supreme Court complex.
Under the scheme even a senior advocate if engaged by a client can charge a maximum of Rs 9,000 for three days of hearing or for the entire case. The amount would start from as low as Rs 3,000 depending upon the stage of the petition at which it is argued.
The counsel said that though the scheme was in vogue since 1995, the general public was not aware of it. Hence, efforts are being made to create awareness among the general public on the beneficial scheme.
This scheme to limit legal fees is just an eye wash. Have a look at the high court fees of 4% and aam admi will run away. Further the law commission has recently increased court fees by 10 times. The government, advocates, courts, etc. are all out to make money out of the litigants regardless of their income stature. What we need are self-executing laws as devised by former Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.
On the face of it, this is excellent. On the other hand, we already have a huge pile of cases, making it more within reach is not the only solution, we need to pay attention to make judiciary a more speedier process.
The middle class Families in the past did not a mind set to to go the Supreme Court for Justice but now with a stipulated Fees Middle Class Families can fight for justice in Supreme Court .The scheme is available under the Supreme Court Middle Income Group legal Aid Society . Really a positive and visionary step for those Middle Class Families who have never even thought of Filing case for justice in the Countries Supreme Court of India . The decision is to welcomed that can give justice to those who were not in a position to pay the Fees of the Advocates to fight there case to get justice .
