SC stays HC order of Rs 1 lakh cost on advocate for wasting court's time

The Supreme Court has stayed an order of the Allahabad High Court which imposed costs of Rs 1 lakh on an advocate for wasting the court's "precious time" and arguing a case wearing a lawyer's robe and a band despite being a petitioner in-person. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan issued limited notice on whether adverse remarks made by the high court against advocate Mehmood Pracha need to be expunged. "Issue notice for the limited purpose as to why the observations made by the high court against the petitioner be not expunged and why the order imposing cost be not set aside, returnable on December 9, 2024. "Meanwhile, the impugned order dated September 10, 2024, to the extent of imposition of cost shall remain stayed," the bench directed. Pracha moved the top court against an order of the Allahabad High Court which found him guilty of wasting "precious time" for filing a petition which was already filed before Delhi High Court. The high court had also noted that Prac