Case Title:- PRIYADARSHINI SAHA vs. PINAKI RANJAN BANERJEE
Citation:- CONTEMPT PETITION (CIVIL) Diary No.59883/2025
Date:- 30.10.2025
Hon’ble Supreme Court Bench:- JUSTICE J.B. PARDIWALA and JUSTICE K.V. VISWANATHAN
The Hon’ble Supreme Court on October 30 gave the State Bar Councils one final opportunity to follow its earlier directions that they cannot charge more than the statutory enrolment fees fixed under Section 24 of the Advocates Act, 1961.
- As per the law, the enrolment fee cannot exceed ₹750 for general category candidates and ₹125 for those belonging to SC/ST categories. The Hon’ble Court said that if any State Bar Council continues to charge more than the legal limit, the Court will hold it guilty of contempt.
- The Bar Council of India (BCI) has been told to issue written circulars to all State Bar Councils, reminding them to strictly comply with the Court’s order. The BCI has been given four weeks to complete this exercise.
- The matter came up after a fresh law graduate from West Bengal filed a contempt petition, saying she was first asked to pay ₹750 but later forced to pay an extra ₹4,650 to get her enrollment certificate and retrieve her documents.
- The petitioner said the Bar Council collected this money under heads like “library fund,” “building fund,” and “advocate welfare fund.” The Hon’ble Court made it clear that no such extra or optional fees can be charged.
- The Hon’ble Supreme Court also directed that no State Bar Council should withhold original documents of law graduates for non-payment of such additional fees. Once the statutory amount is paid, all documents must be returned immediately.
- The Hon’ble Court noted that although the BCI had already communicated its 2024 directions to all State Bar Councils, some Councils are still violating them by charging extra money.
- The same Bench had recently heard a similar contempt case against the Karnataka Bar Council, which was collecting so-called “optional fees.” The Hon’ble Court clarified that no optional fees can be imposed in any form.
- The Hon’ble Court has given the BCI four weeks to ensure complete compliance by all State Bar Councils. The matter will be heard again after this period.
- Earlier in January 2025, the BCI had filed an application before the Hon’ble Supreme Court seeking to increase the enrolment fee to ₹25,000, but the Hon’ble Court rejected this request.
