State Bar Councils, BCI cannot charge any ‘optional’ fee from enrolling lawyers: Supreme Court

State Bar Councils or the Bar Council of India cannot collect any “optional” fee other than the statutory charge from law graduates enrolling as lawyers, the Supreme Court has said, while asking the Karnataka State Bar Council to stop collecting any such amount.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan passed the direction on a contempt plea filed by K.L.J.A. Kiran Babu, alleging that directions issued by this court in July last year on not charging exorbitant fees from enrolling law graduates by state bar councils, especially the Karnataka State Bar Council, are not being complied with in letter and spirit.

The Bar Council of India, in its affidavit, said all state bar councils are complying with the directions of the court and the ₹6,800 charged by the Karnataka State Bar Council for ID cards, certificates, welfare fund, and training, among others, and ₹25,000 over and above the statutory fees are optional and not mandatory.

“We make it clear that there is nothing like optional. No State Bar Council(s) or Bar Council of India shall collect any fees of any amount as optional. They shall strictly collect fees in accordance with the directions issued by this court in the main judgment,” the bench said in its order passed on August 4.

It further said that if the Karnataka State Bar Council is collecting any amount as optional, though it may not be mandatory, it must be stopped.

During the hearing, the Bar Council of India chairman and senior advocate Manan Kumar Mishra stated that pursuant to the top court’s July 2024 verdict, the council, being a statutory body, has written to all state bar councils on August 6 and directed them to strictly proceed with the enrolment of candidates in light of the judgment passed by this court.

“That after issuance of the letter, the BCI has firmly believed that all the State Bar Councils are adhering and complying with the judgment passed by this court in the matter,” the BCI said and gave a detailed chart of fees charged by different bar bodies of various states.

On July 30 last year, the top court ruled that state bar councils cannot charge exorbitant fees for enrolling law graduates as lawyers, as it perpetuates systemic discrimination against marginalised and economically weaker sections, besides undermining their participation in the legal profession.

The levy of exorbitant fees ranging from around ₹15,000 to over ₹40,000 by some state bar councils (SBCs) was “contrary to the principle of substantive equality”, the top court had held, adding the SBCs and the Bar Council of India (BCI) cannot “alter or modify” the fiscal policy laid down by Parliament.

It had said the bar bodies are delegates of powers under the Advocates Act, 1961 and SBCs and the BCI cannot charge more than ₹750 and ₹125 for enrolling law graduates from the general and SC-ST categories, respectively.

The top court had said the decision of SBCs to charge fees and charges at the time of enrolment in excess of legal stipulation violated Article 14 (right to equality) and Article 19(1)(g) (right to practice a profession) of the Constitution.

It had clarified that its decision would have a “prospective effect”, and SBCs were not required to refund the excess enrolment fees collected so far.