Chief Justice DY Chandrachud charged this fee while starting his legal career.

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud recently shared insights into his early days as a lawyer, highlighting his commitment to affordable legal services and public service. He revealed that he charged a modest fee of just Rs 60 when he fought his first case in the Bombay High Court.

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud began practicing law at the Bombay High Court in 1986 after returning from Harvard. His first case was scheduled for an urgent hearing before Justice Sujata Manohar that year. For this work, he was paid Rs 60.

During that period, lawyers would typically request payment in gold “mohar” rather than Indian rupees, as was the custom in the colonial era.

At that time, one gold mohar cost roughly Rs 15. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said he was paid the Rs 60 after he wrote “4 GM” on the docket. Sources said the Bombay High Court was following this pattern up till 25 years ago.

On Monday, the Supreme Court postponed deciding on several petitions that challenged the outrageous enrollment fees that bar councils in several states were charging. There was Justice JB Pardiwala on the Bench as well.

Throughout the hearing, the Bench questioned whether bar councils may charge more than Rs 600 for state bar councils and Rs 150 for the Bar Council of India specified in the Advocates Act, 1961.

The Bench observed that the fees charged by state bar bodies were inconsistent. It is approximately Rs 15,000 in regions like Kerala, Maharashtra, and Delhi, and Rs 41,000 in regions like Odisha.

The bench noted that the point of law was whether bar councils might charge more than the amount specified by statute.

“It is for parliament to increase the enrolment fee. It is a valid point you raised on the various expenses to run the state bar councils. But the law is very clear. You cannot charge more than Rs 600,” Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said.

The Supreme Court took up the case in July 2023, taking up petitions that were still pending in higher courts.

The Bar Council of Kerala was instructed by the Kerala High Court last year to only charge law graduates who seek to enroll an enrollment fee of Rs 750 until the Bar Council of India takes into consideration a standard fee structure.

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