The Bar Council of India thanked the Chief Justice of India on Sunday( May 27, 2021) in a press release for emphasizing the difficulties faced by advocates during the Pandemic.
The Council has acknowledged the letter written to the Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad requesting financial assistance for the Advocates-in-Need who have been suffering for several months as a result of the COVID-19 situation in the country.
The Council praised CJI Ramana for lending a compassionate ear to the serious situation and taking note of the legal fraternity's sufferings, saying it was "for the first time in a long time" and that it speaks volumes about the CJI's concern for the community he leads.
In a press release, Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra stated:
"Our country and the system was direly in need of such a dynamic and bar-friendly Chief Justice of India who is well acquainted with ground realities of a common lawyer".
The Council went on to say that Justice Ramana "perfectly" understood and conveyed the real difficulties faced by the distressed and troubled Advocates and lower Judiciary, particularly those from remote areas of the country.
It has described the request to the Ministry for providing effective, uninterrupted Internet connection and all other infrastructure to stakeholders, including those in rural areas, as'revolutionary.'
The Release also stated that BCI had been raising the issue for a long time:
"The Bar Council of India has been making both these demands since long, but, the Government has paid no heed to it. But, now we are confident that the Government will cone forward to the rescue of the needy Advocates".
The Council, while appreciating the Chief Justice's gesture, also noted that once an Advocate becomes a Judge, he usually forgets about the real, genuine, and substantial problems of the Bar.
"But Justice Ramana has proved that he remembers the hardships, particularly if young members of the Bar. This is a rare quality of a humble judge. Justice N. V Ramana has made it clear that he believes in hard work and good performance, and not in media", it noted.
On Saturday(May 26, 2021), Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana expressed concern about “poor digital connectivity in rural, tribal, remote, and hilly areas,” saying it was slowing justice delivery across the country and denying thousands of young lawyers a living.
Justice Ramana stated that he had written to Union law and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to address the issue, emphasizing the significance of the matter at a time when the pandemic has forced all court proceedings to be held virtually.
