(1) This Act may be called the Punjab Advocates Welfare Fund Act, 2002.
(2) It shall come into force at once.
1 For statement of Objects and Reasons, see Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary), dated the 31st December, 2001, Page 1918.
Short title and commencement.
2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -
(a) "Advocate" means a person whose name has been entered in the roll of Advocates prepared and maintained by the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana under section 17 of the Advocates Act, 1961 and who is practicing as an Advocate and is a member of Bar Association;
(b) "Bar Association" means an association of Advocates, recognised by the Bar Council under section 14;
(c) "Bar Council" means the Bar Council for the States of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh constituted under section 3 of the Advocates Act, 1961;
(d) "Cessation of practice" means removal of the name of an Advocate from the roll of Advocates maintained by the Bar Council on account of his retirement or death or on account of physical disability or on ground of professional misconduct;
(e) "court" means the High Court of a civil, revenue, criminal, labour or any other Court or Tribunal or authority, by whatever name called, acting in the proceedings of judicial or quasi-judicial nature;
(f) "dependent" means wife, husband, father, mother and unmarried minor children of a member of the Fund and includes his widowed daughter and major children, who suffer from physical disability or Definitions.
insanity and who are maintained by him or such of them who survive on his death;
(g) "Fund" means the Advocates Welfare Fund constituted under section 3;
(h) "Member of the Fund" means an Advocate admitted to the benefit of the Fund and continuing to be a member thereof under the provisions of this Act;
(i) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(j) "regulation" means regulations made by the Trustee Committee with the approval of the Bar Council under this Act;
(k) "retirement" means stoppage of practice as an Advocate for reasons other than joining service or for carrying on any other gainful occupation, communicated to and recorded by the Bar Council;
(l) "section" means a section of this Act;
(m) "Stamp" means the Punjab Advocates Welfare Fund Stamp printed and distributed under section 19;
(n) "State" means the State of Punjab;
(o) "suspension of practice" means voluntary suspension of practices as an Advocate or suspension by the Bar Council for profession or other misconduct;
(p) "Trustee Committee" means a Trustee Committee established under section 4; and
(q) "Vakalatnama" means a power of attorney, memorandum of appearance or any other document by which an Advocate is empowered to appear or plead any court.
CHAPTER II CONSTITUTION OF THE FUND AND ITS ADMINISTRATION