SISTER MARY SCARIA: ADVOCATE WHO REFUSED TO TESTIFY UNTRUTH
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| Sister Mary Scaria, Kurikkilankat, Chemberi, Kannur |
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Like Mahatma Gandhi some sensitive persons are troubled by the dilemma of advocates: whether their commitment is to truth or to the client. For Gandhiji the answer was clear. So also for Sister Mary Scaria. When she admitted the lapse of her client, the State Electricity Board of Delhi, that had failed to provide electric connection to the petitioner even after 16 years, she invited the displeasure of her senior for losing the case.
Sister Mary is the daughter of Scaria and Treesa of Kurikkilankat, Chemberi, Kannur. She is a member of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary (SCJM), based in Brussels. Among nuns, there are very few practicing advocates and at present she is the only one practicing in the Supreme Court.
Her desire to learn law came to the fore while serving as a teacher in the school run by the congregation at Santhal Pargana, Bihar. While on visits to the houses of her wards, she became painfully aware of the denial of legitimate wages to the tribals. She surmised that to fight for rights one must know the law.
She obtained degree in law from the Indian Law Society, Pune in 1995. Once she started practicing, she was besieged by another doubt: to accept or not to accept money from the clients. For the last 7 years, she has not accepted any money except for the purpose of litigation, from her clients. She is acting as the Justice and Peace Commission Coordinator of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese and gives free legal advice. She is active in other Human Rights for a also.
She gives due credit to the congregation for helping her dawn the black gown and reveals her desire to study Canon Law.
Courtesy: Jomy Thomas (text), Aravind Jain (photo), Sree, Malayala Manorama, December 1, 2002
Contributed by: Administrator
