The Bar Council of India (BCI) has approached the Supreme Court to propose amendments to the Advocates Act, 1961, aimed at increasing the enrolment fees for lawyers. The move comes after the Supreme Court’s decision last July, which set a cap on the fees at ₹750 for general category candidates and ₹125 for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribe candidates, following concerns about exorbitant fees by State Bar Councils including those in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
The BCI, highlighting the financial challenges faced by the Bar Councils, stated that the enrolment fees are their primary source of revenue. The council argues that without this income, they struggle to meet basic operational costs, including staff salaries. The plea emphasized the dire financial straits, suggesting that without the ability to charge more than ₹600, the Bar Councils and the BCI itself might face existential threats.
Adding to their argument, the BCI provided an inflation comparison, noting that an item costing ₹100 in 1960 would cost ₹7804.85 in early 2022, with a further inflation rate of 5.8% in 2023. They argue that adjusting for inflation, the current fees should be approximately ₹50,000. The council had previously proposed to the Central government that the enrolment fee for general category candidates be set at ₹25,000, with an additional ₹6,250 for the Bar Council of India fund, and ₹10,000 for SC/ST candidates, with ₹2,500 going to the BCI.
The BCI is also seeking the authority to adjust these fees in the future based on inflation rates provided by the Reserve Bank of India, aiming for a financial model that supports their sustainability while addressing the economic reality of rising costs.
