In a punitive step, the Supreme Court on Monday slapped an "exemplary cost" of Rs 25 lakh on an NGO and its chairman for filing 64 PIls without any success over the years and barred them from filing any plea before any court across the country.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said "waste" of judicial time was a matter of serious concern and all such endeavours have to be dealt sternly to prevent misuse of the courts by such individuals "who have nothing to do but only cast scandalous and imaginary aspersions".
The bench, also comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul, said that Rajiv Daiya, the chairman of NGO Suraz India Trust, would be refrained from filing any petition in public interest.
"So as to stop this practice (of wasting judicial time) once and for all, we hereby direct that Suraz India Trust will not file any petition in public interest before any court in this country," the court said.