CM Advocates Welfare Scheme: Delhi HC Directs Delhi Govt to Fix Dates for Bidding Process, Consider Reopening Registration for Lawyers who Missed the Deadline

Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Government to start the tender process for the Chief Minister Advocates Welfare Scheme by fixing the opening and closing dates for submitting financial bids before August 7. The Single Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh has also asked the Delhi Government to take a compassionate stance towards the lawyers who could not register before the April deadline and provide a 2 weeks window for them to do the same. The order has come in a bunch of writ petitions moved by the Bar Council of Delhi seeking a direction to the Delhi Government to implement the CM Advocates Welfare Scheme, especially during the taxing times of COVID19 pandemic. BCD has claimed that the Delhi Government should obtain the insurance policies of all the registered advocates who are 29,098 in number from insurance companies and the policies should then be forwarded to the said advocates.