Supreme Court Warns Against Optional Fees: A Victory for Law Graduates

The Supreme Court has reinforced its stance on fee regulation, declaring that state bar councils, such as the Karnataka State Bar Council, are barred from collecting any optional fees beyond the statutory charges from law graduates. This decision comes in response to allegations of non-compliance with a previous directive aimed at preventing excessive financial burdens on new entrants to the legal profession.

In the wake of a contempt plea by K L J A Kiran Babu, the court reaffirmed its earlier judgment which emphasized that exorbitant fees reinforce systemic inequities and limit access for individuals from marginalized and economically weaker backgrounds. The directive mandates strict adherence to the guidelines set forth, limiting enrollment charges to Rs 750 for general and Rs 125 for SC-ST categories.

The Bar Council of India, responding to this verdict, clarified via affidavit that while state councils had been informed of the directive, fees like the Rs 6,800 levied by Karnataka for additional services were optional. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court dismissed the notion of optional fees, emphasizing that compliance with statutory guidelines is mandatory to ensure fairness and equality in legal education access.

(With inputs from agencies.)