After public prosecutors, Govt fires all standing counsels

Nearly two weeks after sacking all public prosecutors and assistant public prosecutors, the Governor administration on Friday disengaged all standing counsels appearing on behalf of the state in subordinate courts.

The Law department terminated the standing counsels most ofwhom had been engaged in the three-and-a-half-year rule of the previous PDP-BJPgovernment.

   

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the disengagement of allstanding counsels engaged from time to time for contesting cases beforesubordinate courts within the state with immediate effect,” reads the orderissued by Law Secretary Anchal Sethi.

The action came nearly 15 days after the StateAdministrative Council, the decision-making body in Governor Rule having powerssimilar to that of the cabinet, decided to fire all standing counsels.

A senior official in Law department, wishing not to benamed, told Greater Kashmir that 500-600 lawyers were engaged as standingcounsels by the PDP-BJP dispensation.

“Of them, 350-400 were presently engaged while the term ofremaining had come to end,” the official said.

According to the order, the SAC in its meeting on June 13has also decided to fix strength of standing counsels at 120.

While 40 each would be engaged for Jammu and Srinagardistricts and two each would represent departments in subordinate courts, theorder states.

Each standing counsel would be entitled to monthlyremuneration of Rs 8000.

The department today also ordered creation of 20 positionsof Assisting Counsels in the office Advocate General to assist the LawOfficers.

The assistant counsels will be paid monthly remuneration ofRs 20,000.

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