Supreme Court Upholds Bar Exam Fee Structure Amidst Equality Challenge

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea against the Bar Council of India's Rs 3,500 fee for the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), citing significant expenses incurred in conducting the exam. The plea, filed by advocate Sanyam Gandhi, argued the fees violated constitutional rights, specifically the right to equality and practice of profession.

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, dismissed a plea challenging the Rs 3,500 fee charged by the Bar Council of India (BCI) for conducting the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), upholding the fee structure as constitutional.

A bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta observed that the BCI incurred substantial expenses in organizing the examination and determined that charging the fee does not violate any provisions of the Constitution.

The challenge was brought forth by advocate Sanyam Gandhi, who contended that the fee structure violated the constitutional right to equality and professional practice. However, the bench emphasized the importance of first addressing the matter with the BCI before seeking judicial intervention.