Gujarat polls: Arvind Kejriwal promises monthly stipend for new lawyers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Pic/PTI

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday promised a monthly stipend for new lawyers in Gujarat and a strong mechanism for their protection if the AAP forms a government after polls, due in December this year.

Interacting with a group of advocates in Ahmedabad, Kejriwal said he will study the Kerala government's scheme to pay a monthly stipend to young advocates and will come up with a scheme better than the southern state.

He assured free electricity to the court chambers of lawyers in Gujarat on the lines of Delhi and said a "very liberal policy" has been framed in view of lawyers' demand for health and life insurance cover.

"I understood that till now, whatever we did for advocates in Delhi was the best. Just now I learnt that Kerala has gone ahead of me. I had no idea about the Kerala scheme (of paying a monthly stipend to young lawyers)," the Delhi chief minister said when a lawyer pointed out this in a town hall.

Kejriwal said he will also study the Kerala scheme.

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"I assure you that we will provide you with a better scheme than Kerala. We will also fulfil the demand for granting automatic stature of a notary to lawyers who completed 10 years of practice (in Gujarat)", the AAP leader said.

Kejriwal said lawyers' chambers are getting free electricity in Delhi.

"I think Delhi is the only state where electricity for the court chambers of lawyers is free. They had two other demands namely life and health insurance cover, for which we have framed a very liberal policy," he said, adding that the total cost of providing health and life insurance cover to lawyers is Rs 40-50 crore for the Delhi government, "which is not a big amount for a government".

He promised the implementation of the Advocates' Protection Act in Gujarat if AAP comes to power.

"As you say the draft is ready, we will strengthen it if required. The law will have to be strengthened along with the police machinery...We will bring a law for the protection of lawyers and a system. These things do not cost too much," he said.

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