'Cheap publicity': Filing PIL despite CJI's 'quietus' appeal costs advocate Rs 7,000

NEW DELHI: SC Friday imposed a cost of Rs 7,000 on an advocate with seven years' experience for filing a PIL seeking inquiry into the breach of protocol for Justice B R Gavai on his maiden visit as CJI to his home state Maharashtra on May 18. A bench led by CJI Gavai dealt with the PIL, rejected request for withdrawal and said it was filed solely for garnering cheap publicity through media, ignoring the CJI's May 20 appeal to give a quietus to the controversy.

The incident, which was only in the media till now, was recorded sequentially by CJI Gavai in the court's judicial order. He said on reaching Mumbai and not finding the chief secretary, DGP and Mumbai Police commissioner present to receive him, he had expressed his displeasure at the breach of protocol.

CJI Gavai said he did not want any personal attention, but he talked about the dignity attached to the position of CJI as the head of one of the three organs of governance, and had spoken about the mutual respect the functionaries of the three organs should show for each other.

He added that once his speech lamenting about the breach of protocol became viral on social media, the three officials rushed to Chaitya Bhoomi, where he had gone to pay tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar. All three officials had tendered apologies and seen-off the CJI at the airport, and the matter was treated as closed, he said.

Despite this and on finding the issue was still getting traction in media, SC had issued a press note on May 18, which read: "...All concerned have already expressed regrets. The CJI has expressed that a trivial issue should not be blown out of proportion. CJI has requested everyone that the matter be given a quietus."

When the CJI told the petitioner he was trying to make a mountain of a molehill, the advocate pleaded for permission to withdraw the PIL. But the CJI wanted to know the number of years he had practiced in SC. On being told he had seven years' practice, SC imposed a cost of Rs 7,000, to be utilised for providing legal aid to poor litigants.