The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (June 25, 2025) raised questions over whether junior lawyers in Maharashtra have a statutory right to receive a monthly stipend, even as it expressed sympathy for their financial struggles.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by twelve junior advocates from Maharashtra seeking a monthly stipend of ₹5,000 for junior lawyers with less than three years of practice and an annual income under ₹1 lakh.
The 3-year rule: a setback to judiciary aspirants
While acknowledging the financial hardship faced by junior lawyers, the Court questioned the legal basis for mandating a stipend. “What is the statutory right? On a personal level, we support you. We agree with you. But principally, who will give this? Bar Council has no funds. Will you give any funds?” Chief Justice Aradhe asked.
He further queried whether the demand served a broader public interest: “There is no element of public interest in this. How is society in general concerned with stipend to young lawyers?”
