Unique protest: Advocates collect 50 paise coins to pay Rs 100 fine slapped on a colleague

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 17

Some of the Supreme Court lawyers have turned numismatists as they are busy collecting 50 paise coins these days.

But their purpose is completely different. 

They are collecting 50 paise coins to pay a fine of Rs 100 slapped on advocate Reepak Kansal for filing a PIL accusing favouritism on the part of the top court’s Registry in listing of cases.

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

Now as a matter of protest, his lawyer friends have decided contribute coins of 50 paise each to raise the fine amount. 

A WhatsApp campaign to collect 50 paise coins began a day after July 6 when the top court dismissed Kansal’s petition alleging “pick and choose” by Registry officials in listing of cases. A Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had also imposed a fine of Rs 100 on him.

“It’s not my personal issue. Other advocates have also faced similar discrimination. That’s why they came forward to launch this campaign,” Kansal told The Tribune.

“We have already collected more than Rs 100 and intend to deposit it on Monday or Tuesday,” he said.

While dismissing Kansal’s petition on July 6, a Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had said, “We are imposing a minimum cost of Rs 100 on you.”

Being a member of the Bar, he should not have made such allegations against the court’s Registry, it had said, adding, “You (Kansal) are unnecessarily blaming the Registry. Documents were missing in the plea.”

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