SC Slaps ₹5 Lakh Fine on Advocate for Filing Baseless Petition Under Article 32

In a stern move to deter misuse of judicial remedies, the Supreme Court on April 22, 2025, imposed a ₹5 lakh penalty on advocate Sandeep Todi for filing a frivolous writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta criticized the advocate, noting that despite having three years of enrollment with the Bar Council, he showed a clear lack of legal understanding. The Court was unimpressed with his attempt to invoke Article 32 for a matter that did not merit constitutional intervention.

The bench remarked, “Being an advocate, the petitioner ought to have had a better understanding of the law, and yet has dared to file such a baseless petition.”

When Todi tried to withdraw the petition during the hearing, the Court refused to allow it, stating that such unqualified withdrawals would encourage others to file thoughtless or ill-conceived petitions and exit without repercussions. “Permitting such withdrawals would send a wrong signal to litigants to file absurd petitions and then simply back off,” the Court said.

As per the Court’s direction, Todi must deposit ₹5 lakh with the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) within four weeks and file proof with the Supreme Court Registry within six weeks. If he fails to comply, the matter will be listed before the Court again for further action.

This decision underscores the Court’s intolerance toward irresponsible litigation and its resolve to safeguard the dignity of constitutional remedies.