The Supreme Court on Monday reiterated that enrolment fees for lawyers cannot exceed ₹600..A Bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala made the observation based on section 24(1)(f) of the Advocates Act.."The statute has made it clear that nothing can be charged more than ₹600," the Court orally remarked. .The Court made the observation while reserving its judgment in a petition concerning high enrolment fees set by various State Bar Councils.Advocate Vrinda Bhandari, representing the petitioner, shed light on the financial hardships faced by her client, who hails from the marginalized Pardhi community. She highlighted that the petitioner paid ₹21,000 for his enrolment and ₹1,500 for the enrolment form itself."He had to fundraise privately through a WhatsApp campaign because he did not have the money to pay for it," she added..The CJI then asked Bhandari whether advocate welfare charge was part of enrolment fee.Bhandari replied in the negative but added that the charge was needed to be paid in order to get an enrolment certificate."Yes nothing can be charged in excess of ₹600," the CJI remarked.If the fee is to be increased, it is for the parliament to decide, the CJI added. .Senior Advocates Manan Kumar Mishra and S Prabhakaran, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) respectively, supported the fees, citing welfare measures that bar councils undertake for lawyers. .The Court, however, reserved its judgment and said that it would ask the parliament to revisit the ₹600 fee as it was not for the Court to dictate the amount.Responding to Mishra and Prabhakaran, the CJI asserted that a lawyer from a backward district could not afford the high fees. He urged Prabhakaran to hear the voice of the lawyers.."You tell an Odia lawyer from a backward district that pay ₹42,000 for enrolment. They cannot enrol. When I came back to India to practice law after SJD from Harvard, I was paid 60 rupees (4 guineas) for my first case. I think Mr. Prabhakaran, you have to now hear the voices of lawyers also," he said.
The Supreme Court on Monday reiterated that enrolment fees for lawyers cannot exceed ₹600..A Bench of CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Pardiwala made the observation based on section 24(1)(f) of the Advocates Act.."The statute has made it clear that nothing can be charged more than ₹600," the Court orally remarked. .The Court made the observation while reserving its judgment in a petition concerning high enrolment fees set by various State Bar Councils.Advocate Vrinda Bhandari, representing the petitioner, shed light on the financial hardships faced by her client, who hails from the marginalized Pardhi community. She highlighted that the petitioner paid ₹21,000 for his enrolment and ₹1,500 for the enrolment form itself."He had to fundraise privately through a WhatsApp campaign because he did not have the money to pay for it," she added..The CJI then asked Bhandari whether advocate welfare charge was part of enrolment fee.Bhandari replied in the negative but added that the charge was needed to be paid in order to get an enrolment certificate."Yes nothing can be charged in excess of ₹600," the CJI remarked.If the fee is to be increased, it is for the parliament to decide, the CJI added. .Senior Advocates Manan Kumar Mishra and S Prabhakaran, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Bar Council of India (BCI) respectively, supported the fees, citing welfare measures that bar councils undertake for lawyers. .The Court, however, reserved its judgment and said that it would ask the parliament to revisit the ₹600 fee as it was not for the Court to dictate the amount.Responding to Mishra and Prabhakaran, the CJI asserted that a lawyer from a backward district could not afford the high fees. He urged Prabhakaran to hear the voice of the lawyers.."You tell an Odia lawyer from a backward district that pay ₹42,000 for enrolment. They cannot enrol. When I came back to India to practice law after SJD from Harvard, I was paid 60 rupees (4 guineas) for my first case. I think Mr. Prabhakaran, you have to now hear the voices of lawyers also," he said.
