New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging the ₹3,500 fee for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE). A Bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan observed that the Court had already set parameters for enrolment fees imposed by State Bar Councils and the Bar Council of India (BCI) in its July 2024 verdict in Gaurav Kumar v. Union of India. The judges cautioned that imposing additional constraints could disrupt the councils’ operations.
“Do you want bar councils to function or not? We have already curtailed their financial avenues. They also have employees to pay. Once you invest ₹3,500, you will eventually earn ₹3,50,000,” the Court remarked.
The petitioner, Sanyam Gandhi, contended that the examination fee violated Articles 14 and 19 of the Constitution and conflicted with the Advocates Act, along with the Supreme Court’s 2024 Gaurav Kumar ruling. However, the Bench was not convinced and questioned why the petitioner had not first approached the High Court.
Allowing Gandhi to withdraw the plea, the Court advised him to present his grievance to the BCI, emphasizing that the fee structure might contradict the Court’s earlier decision. The petitioner was given the liberty to re-approach the Supreme Court if the BCI either dismissed his representation or failed to respond in a reasonable timeframe.
“This concerns the fundamental rights of aspiring lawyers,” Gandhi’s counsel argued. The Court, however, maintained that the petitioner should first seek recourse through the BCI before escalating the matter to the judiciary.
