Do not file PILs for media publicity, CJI advises young lawyers

While dismissing a plea seeking directions to prevent deaths caused by alleged civic negligence, the Supreme Court on Monday cautioned young advocates from filing PILs merely to seek media publicity. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi advised a young lawyer to focus on the profession in the initial years of practice and learn law and drafting skills.

“So you better concentrate on the profession, this coming in the National Media — that should be stopped for those who want to be serious in the profession, and I am very conservative and very strong in these things. Instead of working in offices, learning law, you are drafting baseless petitions, only because you will come on social media,” the CJI remarked.

The top court dismissed the plea, saying that it was “vague, evasive and with wide averments, seeking directions which are unmanageable. No reason to entertain the PIL”.

At the outset, while going through the PIL, which sought directions to curb incidents of foreseeable deaths caused by failures in maintaining public infrastructure, the bench asked the petitioner’s counsel why a complaint had not been filed against the concerned authorities in the specific instance instead of approaching the court through a PIL.

The counsel replied that the issue had become a “national issue” and was not confined to a single incident.

The Chief Justice questioned the counsel as to how long she had been in legal practice.

To which the counsel replied that she had been practising for four years.

The CJI then advised young lawyers to spend time learning the profession under seniors instead of filing petitions merely for publicity.