2Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(a) "advocate" means an advocate whose name has been entered in the State roll prepared and maintained by a State Bar Council under section 17 of the Advocates Act, 1961 (25 of 1961) and who is a member of a State Bar Association or State Advocates' Association;

(b) "appropriate Government" means,—

(i) in the case of advocates admitted on the roll of a Bar Council of a State, the State Government;

(ii) in the case of advocates admitted on the roll of a Bar Council of a Union territory, the Central Government;

(c) "cessation of practice" means removal of the name of an advocate from the State roll under section 26A of the Advocates Act, 1961 (25 of 1961);

(d) "Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Trustee Committee referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (3) of section 4;

(e) "chartered accountant" means a chartered accountant as defined in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 (38 of 1949) and who has obtained a certificate of practice under sub-section (1) of section 6 of that Act;

(f) "dependants" means the spouse, parents or minor children of a member of the Fund;

(g) "Fund" means the Advocates' Welfare Fund constituted under sub-section (1) of section 3;

(h) "insurer" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (9) of section 2 of the Insurance Act, 1938 (4 of 1938);

(i) "member of the Fund" means an advocate admitted to the benefits of the Fund and who continues to be a member thereof under the provisions of this Act;

(j) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette of the appropriate Government and the expression "notified" shall be construed accordingly;

(k) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(l) "Schedule" means a Schedule to this Act;

(m) "scheduled bank" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (e) of section 2 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934);

(n) "stamp" means the Advocates' Welfare Fund Stamp printed and distributed under section 26;

(o) "State" means a State specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution and shall include a Union territory;

(p) "State Advocates' Association" means an association of advocates in a State recognised by the Bar Council of that State under section 16;

(q) "State Bar Association" means an association of advocates recognised by the Bar Council of that State under section 16;

(r) "State Bar Council" means a Bar Council referred to in section 3 of the Advocates Act, 1961 (25 of 1961);

(s) "suspension of practice" means voluntary suspension of practice as an advocate or suspension of an advocate by a State Bar Council for misconduct;

(t) "Trustee Committee" means the Advocates' Welfare Fund Trustee Committee established under sub-section (1) of section 4;

(u) "Vakalatnama" includes memorandum of appearance or any other document by which an advocate is empowered to appear or plead before any court, tribunal or other authority;

(v) words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Advocates Act, 1961 (25 of 1961) shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in that Act.