New Delhi, October 14: The Supreme Court on October 13, in a sharp rebuke against the misuse of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) for frivolous purposes, imposed a hefty fine of Rs 5 lakhs on lawyer Ashok Pandey. Pandey's PIL, which challenged the legitimacy of the oath administered to Bombay High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, was dismissed by a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

According to multiple reports, the petitioner's contention revolved around the alleged irregularity in the Chief Justice's oath-taking ceremony. Specifically, it was claimed that the omission of the word "I" during the oath and the absence of invitations extended to officials from certain territories had compromised the sanctity of the ceremony. However, the Court swiftly dismissed these claims, emphasising that the legitimacy of the oath was beyond doubt as it had been administered by the appropriate constitutional authority and duly subscribed to by the concerned Chief Justice. Supreme Court Stays Promotion of 68 Gujarat Judicial Officers, Including Judge Who Convicted Rahul Gandhi.

Expressing grave concern over the misuse of PILs for personal publicity, the Court stressed the consequential burden it places on the judicial system, consuming valuable time and resources that could be better utilised in addressing substantial legal matters. Chief Justice Chandrachud affirmed the need to impose costs on such trivial cases, highlighting the need to deter such misuse. Jallikattu Gets SC Nod: Supreme Court Upholds Tamil Nadu Law Allowing Bull Taming Sport.

The Court's decision to levy a significant penalty on Pandey serves as a cautionary measure, signalling a clear stance against the misuse of PILs for non-substantive claims. The imposition of a fine of Rs 5 lakhs, coupled with the warning that failure to pay would lead to recovery from the petitioner's property, underscores the Court's determination to discourage baseless litigation that undermines the judiciary's efficiency.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 14, 2023 01:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).