"Just Because You're In Black Coat...": Supreme Court Raps, Fines Lawyer

It is about time that lawyers be stopped from filing "bogus PILs (Public Interest Litigation)", stressed Supreme Court Justice DY Chandrachud today while chiding a practitioner for filing a "Publicity Interest Litigation" seeking compensation for families of those lawyers who died before the age of 60, whether by Covid or any other disease.

The court fined the lawyer Rs 10,000, which is to be paid to the Supreme Court Bar Association within a week.

Lawyer and petitioner Pradeep Kumar Yadav had sought 50 lakhs for such lawyer families, arguing that the government has been providing financial aid to other communities in the society amid the pandemic.

Mr Yadav's plea commissioned considerable criticism from the top court judge, who, while throwing out the request, reminded the lawyer that his case can't be treated as an exception just because he is in a "black coat".

"Time has come that we have to stop the lawyers from filing these bogus PILs. This is a Publicity Interest Litigation and just because you are in a black coat, doesn't mean your life is more precious than other!" the top court said.

"It cannot happen that lawyers file such public interest litigations and demand for compensation from judges and that they will allow. You know there are a lot of people who died. You can't be an exception here, Mr Yadav," the Justice Chandrachud-led bench added.

Mr Yadav had argued that as all courts are not working, the very survival of the lawyers and their staff is severely affected. He further contended that faced with acute financial hardships and without any help, the lawyers are gravitating to other professions for survival.

The Delhi High Court and district courts in the national capital have resumed physical hearings in a restricted manner from late August.

On the other hand, the Supreme Court has switched to hybrid hearings - both physical and virtual - from September 1.