New Delhi: The Apex Court on Thursday asked the Supreme Court Arguing Counsel Association seeking interest-free loans for lawyers to file an affidavit detailing their credentials and other details.
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde asked if it’s a registered association.
The association has filed a plea seeking direction to the Centre to form a scheme to disburse interest-free loans up to Rs 20 lakh to lawyers.
“We want to know about the Association, is it a registered Association, is it a one-man show, who is running it. We have to know all this because it is an Article 32 petition,” the bench said.
The counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner said that all members in the Association are from the Bar.
“Petitioner’s members are the regular practitioner of the Supreme Court having more than 10 years experience. The member of this association is the real face of this institution, who argues before this Court.
They are coming from across the country and started practice, after purchasing their offices and houses. They have taken loan for offices and houses,” the plea stated.
“In the present pandemic situation normal work of the courts is suspended from the last 6 months and further there are no chances to start the work smoothly, consequently, petitioners are unable to pay the monthly instalment of the loan amount of their offices and housing loan, therefore, petitioner seeks indulgence of this court for a direction to give relaxation in payment of monthly instalment as well as for the direction to the respondent (Centre, RBI, and UCO Bank) to give interest-free loans up to Rs 20 Lakhs,” it added.
To this, the CJI said, “We are glad you are doing good work but we want to know about the Association.”