Supreme Court Rejects Lawyer's Plea Over Frivolous PIL Fine

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea from lawyer Ashok Pandey, who contested an increased fine from Rs 25,000 to Rs five lakh for a dismissed PIL. The PIL questioned the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Upadhyaya. The court emphasized its stance against frivolous PILs, affirming the original penalty.

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by Lucknow lawyer Ashok Pandey, who claimed that he had been unfairly fined Rs five lakh instead of the Rs 25,000 stated in court for filing a frivolous PIL.

Pandey's Public Interest Litigation challenged the oath-taking of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, asserting a breach in constitutional protocol. However, the court upheld the severe penalty, reinforcing its intolerance for such PILs.

Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Dipankar Datta and Joymalya Bagchi, rejected the plea to modify the original order. The bench reprimanded the use of PILs as publicity tools and warned of stricter measures against similar future cases.

(With inputs from agencies.)