Blast counsels stage dharna over GO on pay revision

Coimbatore, July 20 (UNI) Ten defence counsels of the Coimbatore bomb blast case resorted to a brief dharna in front of the special court hearing the case, protesting against a recent Government Order revising their fee structure.

They said the GO was in contravention to the Madras High Court order in 2001, on the basis of which they were receiving fees.

When the trial of the Coimbatore bomb blast began, many of the accused had appointed their own counsels. However, the Al-Umma accused sought the government help in appointing counsels and the High Court directed the government to appoint 26 counsels.

Consequently, the government issued GO 180 on Dcember 24, 2001 fixing the fee structure-- Rs 2600 for outside advocates and Rs 1500 for local counsels per appearance.

However, GO-480 issued on April 19, 2007, revised the fee structure with retrospective effect from June 3, 2003. The order also stated that the advocates would have to return part of the fees they had already received.

UNI