Madhya Pradesh High Court: In a service matter, the Single Judge Bench of Vishal Dhagat, J., directed the Madhya Pradesh State Bar Council (MPBC), in consultation with the MP High Court Bar Association (MP HCBA) and MP High Court Advocates’ Bar Association (MP HCABA) to lay down a guideline for minimum stipend to be paid to junior advocates for 3 years from the date of their engagement as per the Bar Council’s circular.
While hearing the request for adjournment, the Court asked the junior counsel for the petitioner whether she was being paid her stipend, to which she informed the Court that she wasn’t.
Noting this, the Court stated that the Bar Council of India, in its circular dated 15 October 2024, directed all State Bar Councils that a minimum stipend shall be provided to junior advocates for at least 3 years from the date of their engagement. Bar Council of India has recommended ₹20,000 per month in urban areas and ₹15,000 per month in rural areas.
However, since the circular was recommendatory in nature, the Court directed the MPBC, in consultation with the MP HCBA and MP HCABA, to lay down a guideline for the minimum stipend to be paid to junior advocates for 3 years in urban and rural areas. The authorities shall take a decision on issuing guidelines through the Madhya Pradesh Bar Association within 6 months.
“State Bar Council, being a regulatory body, has the heavy burden to see that junior advocates are paid a stipend for maintaining their expenses and transportation.”
The Court also directed the MPBC to hold an enquiry into why the 5 advocates in this case were not paying a stipend to the junior counsel. Furthermore, the Court directed MPBC, MP HCBA, and MP HCABA to take note of the aforesaid fact and see to it that all junior advocates are paid stipend for doing the work of their senior counsel so that they can bear their day-to-day expenses for learning in initial phases of their practice, when they do not have their own work. A copy of this order shall be supplied to all 3 aforementioned authorities for necessary compliance.
Accordingly, the case was adjourned.
[Vipin Pandey v. Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, WP No. 7749 of 2005, decided on 28-9-2026]
Also read: BCI directs Firms, Senior Advocates, Advocates to pay minimum stipend to Junior Advocates
Advocates who appeared in this case:
For the petitioner: Ayushi Mishra
For the respondent: Divy Krishna Bilaiya