PANJIM: Bills of lawyers representing the Goa government in various courts will not be cleared if they do not have an official letter assigning the case to them, according to a circular issued by the Law Department.
“It has been brought to the notice by the office of the Advocate General that in many cases, Government Advocates/Additional Government Advocates/Public Prosecutors/Additional Public Prosecutors by themselves swap the cases, which are allotted to them and these cases are conducted by such Government Advocates/Additional Government Advocates/Public Prosecutors/Additional Public Prosecutors, who have not been allotted such cases. This is happening rampantly as a result of which the very purpose of allotment, based on suitability/competence of a lawyer is defeated. Interest of the government is also sacrificed,” the circular has said.
The directions have been made effective from April 1, 2024, for immediate and strict compliance and any violation of the same shall attract strict action, it said.
The Government Advocates/Additional Government Advocates while submitting the bills to Law Department will have to attach the copy of case allotment letter to each and every bill and without case allotment letter, the professional fees bill of Government Advocates/Additional Government Advocates will not be entertained for the respective month, states the circular issued by Amir Parab, Under Secretary (Establishment), Law Department.
