The AAP Government has given steep hike in the remuneration packages to its standing counsels, panel advocates and additional public prosecutors.
While the monthly retainership fees for standing counsel have been increased from Rs25,000 to Rs1,10,000, the amount given to his/her secretarial assistance has also been hiked from Rs10,000 to Rs30,000.
The monthly retainership fees of additional standing counsel have been increased from Rs20,000 to Rs90,000 and the amount of their secretarial assistance has been hiked from Rs5,000 to Rs30,000.
With the new Cabinet’s decision, the amount for suits, writ petitions and appeals, including oral applications, revised petitions, special civil application in the High Court has been increased to Rs8,000 per case per day on effective hearings.
This is subject to a maximum of Rs40,000 per case.
In case of non-effective hearing, the Cabinet has decided to pay Rs2,000 per case per day to a maximum of five hearings. Even for drafting of writ petitions in civil and criminal cases, the amount has been hiked from Rs1,500 to Rs7,500 per case. For drafting of appeal in civil and criminal matters, the Government has increased the amount from Rs1,500 to Rs3,500 per case. The amount for drafting of miscellaneous applications has been revised from Rs1,500 to Rs2,000 per case for each application and the maximum bar on this amount has been put at Rs10,000 for each case.
According to sources, despite the Cabinet decision, the proposal is pending with the finance department for approval. After that, lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung’s approval is needed.
For panel advocates, fee for suits, writ petitions and appeals and special civil application in the High Court, the Government has fixed the remuneration of Rs2,000 per case for each effective hearing. In case of non-effective hearing Rs500 per case would be paid to panel advocates, which would be subject to a maximum of five hearings.
Earlier, the Government used to pay Rs4,500 for hearing on a writ petition with an additional of Rs450 per day if the hearings went on for more than three days.
For drafting of writ petitions, the government has increased the amount from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per case for the panel advocates. For drafting of miscellaneous applications, the amount has been reduced from Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,000 per case. For these applications, the maximum amount of Rs 5,000 would be paid to the advocates in each case.
The Government has also hiked the remuneration fee of the additional public prosecutors appearing in the High Court from Rs 800 to Rs 3,000 per case. The maximum amount paid for each case too has been increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 9,000.
In its recent order, the Delhi High Court said, “ We expect and hope that there will be no further delay in the implementation of the said decision and wherever any approval at the end of the Central Government was required on the said decisions taken by the Cabinet in its meeting, we expect that the Union Government shall also act with all promptness to accord its approval without causing any further delay in the matter… Wherever no approval of the Union Government is required on the said decisions taken by the Cabinet, the Delhi government of the NCT of Delhi shall proceed to act on the said decisions taken by the Cabinet in its meeting expeditiously.”