Delhi HC constitutes Committee to consider issues of social security and welfare of clerks

The Delhi High Court has constituted a Committee to “look into the issue” of right to social security and welfare measures of clerks employed by legal practitioners..The direction was issued by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao in a petition by the Delhi High Court Bar Clerks’ Association (DHCBCA) seeking to safeguard and secure their “right to social justice, health, medical care, social security and a living working condition”..The Committee would be headed by the Registrar General of the High Court, and comprise of two nominated Senior Advocates, President of Delhi High Court Bar Association, Secretary of Delhi High Court Bar Association and a nominee each from the Bar Council and DHCBCA..In the Petition filed through Advocate Vishal Singh, DHCBCA has drawn the Court’s attention to an absence of social security or welfare measures for clerks, as provided to legal practitioners under The Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 2001..The Petition has also cited the existence of welfare legislation for the welfare of clerks of legal practitioners in several States in India, such as Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu etc..To effectively secure and promote their fundamental right to social security and welfare measures, DHCBCA has prayed for implementation and enforcement of various schemes such as the creation of Clerks Welfare Fund, Group Insurance Policies, Provident Fund, Pension, etc..The Committee has thus been asked to “go to into the issue in question and consider the same“..The DHCBCA consists of around 3,500 members who are recognized, registered and authorized by the High Court to work as law clerks. Apart from the members of the Association, there are 20,000 clerks of the legal practitioners in several other district courts, forums and tribunals..DHCBCA was represented by Senior Advocates Arvind Nigam, Kirti Uppal and IS Alag, with Advocates Vishal Singh and Jyoti Kataria.