Kerala High Court: In a writ appeal seeking stay on operation and implementation of order dated 15-02-2023 which directed the Kerala Bar Council to accept petitioner's enrollment application with a fee of Rs 750 only, S.V.N. Bhatti, CJ and Basant Balaji, J. directed the Bar Council of Kerala to accept enrollment fee of Rs 750 from all the aspirants seeking enrollment as an advocate to avoid individual cases seeking reduction of fees.
While hearing the instant matter, the Court pointed at the submission by Bar Council that in furtherance of order dated 16-03-2023 wherein, the Bar Council of Kerala had submitted to accept enrolment applications with the minimum prescribed fee for enrolment till the present appeals are disposed of. It was stated that there is initiation to ensure uniform fee structure while enrolling law graduates as advocates under the aegis of the Bar Council of India. Since the same was taken up by the Supreme Court, it was suggested that instant appeals be considered accordingly at a later stage.
It was further clarified by the Bar Council of Kerala that the order dated 15-02-2023 was followed and the petitioners were enrolled by accepting fee of Rs 750.
The Court exercised its jurisdiction to uphold the interest of candidates getting enrolled on the rolls of Kerala Bar Council and extended the benefit of enrolment fee of Rs 750 only to the other aspirants as well in order to avoid a series of individual cases.
Hence, any law graduates eligible to enroll with the Bar Council of Kerala will have to pay the minimal enrollment fee of Rs 750 only, till the further orders.
[Bar Council of Kerala v. Akshai M. Sivan, 2023 SCC OnLine Ker 4242, Order dated 12-06-2023]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For Appellant: Senior Advocate Grashious Kuriakose, Senior Advocate G. Shrikumar, Advocate Pranoy K. Kottaram, Advocate Sivaraman P.L.
For Respondent: Senior Advocate Maitreyi Sachidananda Hegde, Advocate Santhosh Mathew, Advocate Praveen K. Joy, Advocate Amir Ali, Advocate Nirmal V. Nair, Advocate Uttara P.V.
