Mangaluru : Condemning the State government’s failure to sanction permission to file a case against 52 police officers in connection with the clash outside court in Bengaluru on March 2, 2012, Mangalore Bar Association boycotted the court proceedings on Friday and staged a protest outside the court premises.

Addressing the protesters, Mangalore Bar Association president S P Changappa said the Government had rejected CBI’s request for sanction to prosecute 54 police personnel, including two IPS officers. “The Government has failed to conduct an impartial probe into the incident. Its move is helping guilty.”

Changappa said the Association had submitted a proposal to the government to hike the benefit of the advocates welfare fund from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. “There is a need to amend the Welfare Fund Act of 1986. Those who have 15 years of experience get welfare fund of Rs 1.5 lakh. Those who have 30 years of service get only Rs 4 lakh. The service slab on accident benefit should be withdrawn. At present, the accidental insurance is given to those who have more than five years of experience.” The stipend for young law graduates should be increased to Rs 3,000 per month from Rs 1,000.