CUTTACK: The Orissa high court has steered clear of the issue of grant of monthly stipend to young fresh lawyers of the state and left it to the state government to take a decision on it.The court skirted the issue on Monday while disposing of a PIL filed more than seven years ago.The petition had sought direction for monthly stipend to young advocates, who have annual income of less than Rs 24,000, for their sustenance in the legal profession.The issue assumes significance as the Bar Council of India (BCI) included stipend of at least Rs 10,000 per month for new entrants to the bar up to five years of practice among its demands to the Union government in February this year.The issue was first raised in the state by way of a memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik by a city-based lawyer Dillip Mohapatra on October 17, 2011.As the memorandum evoked no response, Mohapatra moved the high court by way of a PIL in November the same year. The petition had gathered dust till it came up on December 21 last year and the court sought affidavits from the state government.Closing hearing, the division bench of Chief Justice K S Jhaveri and Justice K R Mohapatra disposed of the petition on Monday, but directed the state government to take a decision within four months on the representation submitted to the chief minister on October 17, 2011.The representation had urged the chief minister 'to take immediate step and issue direction to give stipend to young fresh advocates of the state from their day of enrollment as an advocate, whose annual income is less than Rs 24,000'.

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