Allahabad High Court Imposes ₹25K Cost On UP Govt As Its Standing Counsel 'Wastes' 10 Minutes Of 'Precious' Judicial Time

The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) on Monday imposed a cost of Rs. 25,000 on the UP Government. This action was taken as the Standing Counsel, seemingly unprepared, wasted 10 minutes of 'precious' judicial time while presenting arguments in a writ matter.

Justice Abdul Moin issued the order, marking the third instance on a single day (January 8) where the Court came down heavily on Standing Counsels for their inability to effectively assist the court in the matters before it. Read details of two other orders here and here.

In the instant case, after the matter had been argued for around 10 minutes, the Court went through the provisions of the Arms Act, 1959 as well as the judgements as cited by counsel for the petitioner and noted the arguments of counsel for the petitioner, the Standing Counsel prayed for some time to study the matter.

Accepting his request, though the Court posted the matter for hearing after a week, the Court imposed a cost of Rs. 25K on the state government noting that its counsel had wasted precious judicial time of the court.

"As the matter has been adjourned after hearing for around 10 minutes, a cost of Rs 25000/- is imposed upon the respondent State for its counsel having wasted precious judicial time of the Court in as much as a request for studying the matter could have been made by learned Standing Counsel as soon as the case was taken up and not when sufficient time has been spent by the Court and by learned counsel for the petitioner in the matter," the Court remarked.

The Court further directed that the cost be deposited before the High Court Legal Services Sub-Committee, Lucknow within a week initially by the State Government to be recovered from the persons responsible for the aforesaid fiasco. 

'Standing Counsels Lack Legal Acumen, Knowledge Of Key Supreme Court Rulings': Allahabad HC Seeks Principal Secy's Personal Affidavit

Case title - Rajit Ram Verma vs. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko. And 2 Others 2024 LiveLaw (AB) 11 [WRIT - C No. - 9336 of 2023]

Case citation: 2024 LiveLaw (AB) 11

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