The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the State Bar Council to consult two High Court bar associations and issue guidelines on minimum stipends for junior advocates within six months.
The 28 September order followed a junior lawyer’s statement in court that she was receiving no stipend. The bench cited a 2024 Bar Council of India circular recommending monthly payments of ₹20,000 in urban areas and ₹15,000 in rural areas for the first three years of practice. It noted that the circular itself is recommendatory, making local guidelines necessary.
The court also directed the State Bar Council to inquire why the junior lawyer in the pending case was unpaid and asked the professional bodies to address support for new practitioners. The underlying writ petition was adjourned for final hearing. The order sets a deadline for guidelines; it does not itself fix an enforceable statewide stipend amount.