Junior Advocates Demand Implementation of Poll Promise
The coalition government, which promised before the 2024 Assembly elections to rename the “Law Nestham” scheme as “Nyayamitra” and provide ₹10,000 per month as financial assistance to junior advocates, is now facing protests over the delay in implementing the promise.
Even after completing two years in office, the government has not rolled out the scheme, prompting junior lawyers across Andhra Pradesh to stage statewide demonstrations demanding immediate implementation. They allege that while the earlier welfare scheme was discontinued, the new promise has remained only on paper.
‘Law Nestham’ Implemented During Jagan Government
During the tenure of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh government introduced the “Law Nestham” scheme to support junior advocates facing financial hardship in the early years of their legal careers.
Under the scheme:
- 2,011 eligible junior advocates received ₹5,000 per month.
- Each beneficiary was provided ₹60,000 annually, directly credited to their bank accounts.
- The scheme aimed to financially support newly enrolled lawyers until they became professionally stable.
₹100 Crore Corpus Fund for Advocates’ Welfare
Apart from the Law Nestham scheme, the previous government also established a ₹100 crore corpus fund for the welfare of advocates.
A special trust, headed by the Advocate General with senior officials from the Law and Finance Departments as members, was constituted to manage the fund.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government released ₹25 crore from the corpus fund to provide loans, insurance benefits, and medical assistance to eligible advocates.
Coalition’s Election Promise: ₹10,000 Under ‘Nyayamitra’
During the 2024 election campaign, coalition leaders promised enhanced financial support for junior advocates.
The promises included:
- Renaming “Law Nestham” as “Nyayamitra”.
- Increasing the monthly financial assistance from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.
- Expanding the scheme to cover more beneficiaries.
The assurance was highlighted both in the election manifesto and at public meetings, raising expectations among junior advocates.
Two Years Later, Promise Yet to Be Fulfilled
Despite completing nearly two years in power, junior advocates say the government has failed to implement the promised scheme.
According to protesting lawyers:
- The government announced the name “Nyayamitra”, but no clear implementation plan has been announced.
- There is no clarity on the release of ₹10,000 monthly assistance.
- No evidence has emerged of new beneficiaries receiving financial support under the promised scheme.
As a result, junior advocates in several districts have taken to the streets demanding justice.
“Where Is the Promise?” Ask Junior Advocates
During the protests, junior advocates questioned the government over the unfulfilled election assurance.
They demanded that the government:
- Immediately implement the Nyayamitra scheme.
- Honour the election promise of ₹10,000 monthly assistance.
- Extend financial support without further delay.
Opposition Targets Government Over Delay
The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has criticized the coalition government, calling the delay a failure to honour election commitments.
According to the opposition, the earlier Law Nestham scheme was discontinued, while the promised enhanced assistance under Nyayamitra has not been implemented even after two years in office.
Meanwhile, the government is yet to issue a detailed official statement clarifying the status of the scheme.
Promises Made, Implementation Awaited
The delay in implementing the promised Nyayamitra scheme has led to growing dissatisfaction among junior advocates across Andhra Pradesh. With protests intensifying, attention is now focused on when the government will respond and whether it will fulfil its election promise of providing ₹10,000 monthly financial assistance to junior lawyers.
