The Allahabad High Court dismissed a lawyer’s demand for a Rs.1 crore fee from the government for a case he filed on his own. The court noted that the petitioner was never officially engaged by the government. The Centre clarified that it has a dedicated panel of advocates representing its interests in the Supreme Court. The ruling reinforces that self-filed cases do not warrant government compensation.
Prayagraj: The Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench rejected a petition from Advocate Ashok Pandey, who sought Rs.1 crore in legal fees and expenses from the Union government for six cases he filed independently.
The court noted that there was no foundation for his claim since the government had not engaged him for legal representation.
A division bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Om Prakash Shukla reviewed the case and upheld a communication from the Ministry of Law & Justice that dismissed Pandey’s demand.
The ministry’s letter, dated July 26, 2024, clarified that the petitioner was not part of the government’s panel of advocates and that the cases he pursued were at his own initiative.
Consequently, the government was not obligated to cover any fees or expenses he incurred. During the hearing, Pandey argued that he had acted in the interest of justice and deserved compensation.
However, the court found his arguments unconvincing. The judges emphasized that the Ministry had clearly stated its position and that there was no legal requirement for the government to reimburse fees for cases that were not officially assigned to him.
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The court remarked that independent legal actions taken without official authorization could not later serve as grounds for demanding fees from the government.
The Ministry’s letter, which the court reviewed, indicated that Pandey’s request had been forwarded to both the Department of Justice and the President’s Secretariat but ultimately deemed without merit. The government clarified that it has a designated panel of lawyers for its legal matters, and Pandey was not included.
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The court concurred with this reasoning and found no reason to overturn the Ministry’s decision. After the dismissal of the petition, Pandey requested a certificate under Article 134-A of the Constitution to appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
The judges denied this request, stating that the case did not raise any significant constitutional questions or issues of public importance that warranted further examination.
Thus, the petition was dismissed.
Case Title: Ashok Pandey Vs. Union Of Bharat Thru. Secy. To The President New Delhi And 2 Other
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