The Supreme Court on Thursday slapped ₹ 2,000 as costs on an advocate on record for sending an "unprepared" junior to court in his place to seek an adjournment. The advocate on record is a lawyer authorised to represent clients and file cases in the Supreme Court.
As a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud took up the matter listed for hearing, a junior lawyer appeared and requested the matter be deferred as the main advocate was not available.
"You can't take us for granted like this. There are infrastructural costs involved in the functioning of the court. Start arguing," the bench, also comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Justice Manoj Misra, said.
The junior lawyer told the bench he was unaware of the case and had no instructions to argue the matter.
Taking exception, the bench said, "We are under instructions to hear the case from the Constitution. Please call the advocate on record. Ask him to appear before us." Later, the advocate on record appeared through video conferencing and apologised to the court.
The bench asked him why he sent a junior to the court without any paper and knowledge of the case.
The bench then recorded in its order, "A junior was sent unprepared without any papers. When we declined to grant an adjournment, the advocate on record appeared. Matters cannot be conducted in this manner. This is doing a disservice to both the court and to the junior who is made to appear without any paper.
"The advocate on record shall deposit costs of ₹ 2,000 to the Supreme Court Bar Association and produce receipt of the same."
(Courtesy:- NDTV, 14 September 2023)
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