SC dismisses PIL that accused its Registry of favouritism, imposes fine

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 6

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by an advocate levelling allegations of favouritism against its Registry officials in the listing of cases.

A Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra, who had reserved its verdict on the issue on June 19, also imposed a fine of Rs 100 on advocate Reepak Kansal for filing such a person.

“We are imposing a minimum cost of Rs 100 on you,” the Bench said while pronouncing the order on phone.

Being a member of the Bar, he should not have made such allegations against the court’s Registry, it said.

While reserving its verdict, the Supreme Court on June 19 pulled up Kansal for levelling reckless allegations of favouritism against its Registry officials in the listing of cases.

“You are unnecessarily blaming the Registry. Documents were missing in the plea,” it had told Kansal.

The Registry officials were working hard to make the functioning of the court smooth for lawyers and litigants, it had noted.

Kansal had sought a direction to Apex Court’s Secretary-General its Registrar/officers “not to give preferences to cases filed by influential lawyers, petitioners and law firms”.

“There are many petitioner/lawyers have been suffering by unequal treatment by the Registry as the cases filed by some law firms/influential lawyers are immediately listed by Registry ignoring the cases of ordinary petitioner/ lawyers,” Kansal had said.

Accusing the Apex Court Registry of following a “pick and choose” policy, he had demanded a set of guidelines to stop discrimination against ordinary lawyers.