Public is Paying for Precious Judicial Time: CJI’s Response to Lawyer’s Complaint About Fellow Judge

New Delhi: In a dramatic session today at the Supreme Court, Lucknow-based advocate Ashok Pandey found himself at the center of heated exchanges. Two separate benches rebuked him for not paying fines imposed on him for filing frivolous Public Interest Litigations (PILs).

Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Augustine G Masih criticized Pandey for neglecting to pay a ₹50,000 fine imposed last year after his PIL challenging the appointment of Supreme Court advocates as High Court judges was dismissed. They noted his recent foreign trip, reminding him of his responsibilities as a practicing lawyer.

Advocate Pandey Says Trip ‘Funded By His Children’ 

Pandey responded, explaining his financial difficulties since not receiving any cases in the past year and claiming his trip was “funded by his children”. He mentioned his support for former Chief Justice Dipak Misra during controversies and expressed hopes of reimbursement from the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.

Meanwhile, another bench comprising Justice BR Gavai and Justice KV Viswanathan confronted Pandey over a separate ₹1 lakh fine related to another frivolous PIL challenging the reinstatement of a Lok Sabha member. Despite his pleas and references to Chief Justice aspirations for Justice Gavai, the bench was firm in demanding payment.

Pandey Approaches CJI 

Following the tense exchanges, Pandey approached Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, alleging misconduct by Justice Gavai. The Chief Justice cautioned him against making baseless allegations and suggested legal avenues for challenging fines.

Chief Justice Chandrachud reiterated the Supreme Court's stance against frivolous PILs, emphasizing the importance of conserving judicial resources for meaningful cases. 

CJI's Response 

The Chief Justice replied that heated arguments do take place, but warned the lawyer against making such allegations. "You cannot make allegations like this on the judges of the bench. They never misbehave with lawyers. If you want to challenge the fines, file a review," he said.  

The Supreme Court has pulled up petitioners and lawyers over frivolous PILs, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud saying that the public is paying for precious judicial time.