Bonanza for middle-class litigants in Supreme Court

In some good news, middle income group people can get their cases argued in the Supreme Court for a nominal fee of not more than Rs20,000.

To fulfil the requirement the annual gross salary should not exceed Rs7.5 lakh or and the monthly income Rs60,000.

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 Rs9,000 for three days of hearing or for the entire case. The amount would start from as low as Rs3,000 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.