‘To Make Appropriate Decision Soon’: BCI To Punjab and Haryana HC On ‘Exorbitant’ Enrollment Fees

The Bar Council of India has recently informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that it will soon make a decision on the issue of the state bar councils’ exorbitant enrollment fees.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Vikas Bahl was hearing a petition filed by Advocate Pardhuman Garg alleging that the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana was charging exorbitant enrollment fee.

The petition relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in Bar Council of India vs. Bonnie Foi Law College and others. The five-judge Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, A.S. Oka, Vikram Nath, and J.K. Maheshwari had asked the Bar Council of India to ensure that enrolment fee does not become oppressive.

“We also have one caveat arising from the plea that different State Bar Councils are charging different fees for enrolment. This is something which needs the attention of the Bar Council of India, which is not devoid of the powers to see that a uniform pattern is observed and the fee does not become oppressive at the threshold of young students joining the Bar,” the order stated.

In the current issue at hand, the Bar Council of India stated that it would take the necessary steps in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions. In light of the Apex Court’s decision, an appropriate decision in the matter will be made as soon as possible.

“Taking learned counsel for the respondents’ statement on record, the present writ petition is disposed of in terms thereof,” the division bench stated while dismissing the petition.