18.Membership in Fund.—(1) Every advocate practising, before the commencement of this Act, in
any court, tribunal or other authority in a State and being a member of a State Bar Association or a State
Advocates’ Association in that State, shall apply, within six months of the commencement of this Act, to
the Trustee Committee for admission as a member of the Fund, in such form as may be prescribed.
(2) Every person,—
(a) admitted as an advocate on the roll of a State Bar Council, after the commencement of this
Act;
(b) practising in any court, tribunal or other authority in a State and being a member of a State
Bar Association or a State Advocates’ Association in that State,
shall apply, within six months of his enrolment as an advocate, to the Trustee Committee, for admission
as a member of the Fund in such form as may be prescribed.
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(3) On receipt of an application under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the Trustee Committee shall
make such enquiry as it deems fit and either admit the applicant to the Fund or, for reasons to be recorded
in writing, reject the application:
Provided that no order rejecting an application shall be passed unless the applicant has been given an
opportunity of being heard.
(4) Every applicant shall pay an application fee of two hundred rupees along with the application to
the account of the Trustee Committee.
(5) Every advocate, being a member of the Fund, shall pay an annual subscription of fifty rupees to
the Fund on or before the 31st day of March of every year:
Provided that every advocate, who makes an application under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2),
shall pay his first annual subscription within three months of his becoming a member of the Fund:
Provided further that a senior advocate shall pay an annual subscription of one thousand rupees.
(6) Any member of the Fund, who fails to pay the annual subscription for any year before the
31st day of March of that year, shall be liable to be removed from the membership in the Fund.
(7) A member of the Fund removed from the membership in the Fund under sub-section (6) may be
re-admitted to the Fund, on payment of arrears along with re-admission fee of ten rupees, within six
months from the date of such removal.
(8) Every member of the Fund shall, at the time of admission to the membership in the Fund, make
nomination conferring on one or more of his dependants the right to receive, in the event of his death, any
amount payable to the member under this Act.
(9) If a member of the Fund nominates more than one person under sub-section (8), he shall specify in
the nomination, the amount or share payable to each of the nominees.
(10) A member of the Fund may, at any time, cancel a nomination by sending a notice in writing to
the Trustee Committee.
(11) Every member of the Fund, who cancels his nomination under sub-section (10), shall make a
fresh nomination along with registration fee of five rupees.
(12) Every member of the Fund, whose name has been removed from the State roll under section 26A
of the Advocates Act, 1961 (25 of 1961), or who voluntarily suspends practice, shall, within fifteen days
of such removal or suspension, intimate such removal or suspension to the Trustee Committee and if any
member of the Fund fails to do so without sufficient reason, the Trustee Committee may reduce, in
accordance with such principles as may be prescribed, the amount payable to that member under this Act.
19. Ex gratia grant to a member of Fund.—The Trustee Committee on an application made to it by
a member of the Fund, and after being satisfied about the genuineness of the claim, may allow ex gratia
grant to such member from the Fund—
(a) in the case of his hospitalisation or involving major surgical operation; or
(b) if he is suffering from tuberculosis, leprosy, paralysis, cancer, unsoundness of mind or from
such other serious disease or disability.
20. Review.—The Trustee Committee may, on its own motion or on an application received from any
person interested, within ninety days of the passing of any order by it under the provisions of this Act,
review such order, if it was passed under any mistake, whether of fact or of law or in ignorance of any
material fact:
Provided that the Trustee Committee shall not pass any order under this section adversely affecting
any person unless such person has been given an opportunity of being heard.
21. Payment of amount on cessation of practice.—(1) Every advocate who has been a member of
the Fund for a period of not less than five years shall, on his cessation of practice, be paid an amount at
the rate specified in Schedule I:
Provided that where the Trustee Committee is satisfied that a member of the Fund ceases to practice
within a period of five years from the date of his admission as a member of such Fund as a result of any
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permanent disability, the Trustee Committee may pay such member an amount at the rate specified in
Schedule I.
(2) Where a member of the Fund dies before receiving the amount payable under sub-section (1), his
nominee or legal heir, as the case may be, shall be paid the amount payable to the deceased member of the
Fund.
22. Restriction on alienation, attachment, etc., of interest of member in Fund.—(1) The interest
of any member in the Fund, or the right of a member of the Fund or his nominee or legal heir to receive
any amount from the Fund, shall not be assigned, alienated, or charged and shall not be liable to
attachment under any decree or order of any court, tribunal or other authority.
(2) No creditor shall be entitled to proceed against the Fund or the interest therein of any member of
the Fund or his nominee or legal heir.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, “creditor” includes the State or an official assignee or
official receiver appointed under the law relating to insolvency for the time being in force.
23. Exemption from income-tax.—Notwithstanding anything contained in the Income-tax Act, 1961
(43 of 1961) or any other enactment for the time being in force relating to tax on income, profits or gains,
the income accrued to the Fund constituted under sub-section (1) of section 3 shall be exempt from
income-tax.
24. Group Life Insurance for members of Fund and other benefits.—The Trustee Committee
may, for the welfare of the members of the Fund,—
(a) obtain, from the Life Insurance Corporation of India or any other insurer, policies of Group
Insurance on the life of the members of the Fund; or
(b) provide, in such manner as may be prescribed, for medical and educational facilities for the
members of the Fund and their dependants; or
(c) provide monies to the members of the Fund for purchase of books; or
(d) provide monies to construct or maintain common facilities for the members of the Fund:
Provided that the Trustee Committee shall spend ten per cent. of the total annual subscription
received under sub-section (5) of section 18 on the construction or maintenance of common facilities
for the members of the Fund practising in the subordinate courts; or
(e) provide funds for any other purpose which the Trustee Committee may specify; or
(f) provide for such other benefits as may be prescribed.
25. Appeal against decision or order of Trustee Committee.—(1) An appeal against any decision
or order of the Trustee Committee shall lie to the State Bar Council.
(2) The appeal shall be in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by—
(a) a copy of the decision or order appealed against;
(b) a receipt evidencing payment of twenty-five rupees to the credit of the State Bar Council in
any of the branches of a scheduled bank.
(3) The appeal shall be filed within thirty days from the date of receipt of the decision or order
appealed against.
(4) The decision of the State Bar Council on such appeal shall be final.