Kerala High Court Orders State Bar Council To Refund ₹5K Excess Enrolment Fee Collected From Lawyers

The Kerala High Court on Monday (January 19) directed the Bar Council of Kerala to refund the excess amount collected from seven lawyers to conduct their enrolments.

According to the petitioners, the BCK had charged them an excess of Rs. 5000 above the statutorily permitted fee of Rs. 750. They argued that the same was an illegal imposition, in direct violation of the recent Supreme Court decision in Gaurav Kumar v. Union of India.

In the counter affidavit filed by the BCK, the body had agreed to refund the excess amount collected if the petitioners approached it.

When the matter came up for consideration, the petitioners' counsel Advocate Shinto Mathew Abraham submitted that the petitioners had already approached the BCK for refund.

On hearing the same, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas recorded the submissions and directed the Bar Council of Kerala to refund to each of the petitioners the excess fee of Rs. 5000 collected from them within 2 weeks of receipt of the judgment.

"Needless to mention, in the light of the declaration of the law by the Supreme Court in Gaurav Kumar's case (supra), the 1st respondent [Bar Council of Kerala] cannot collect anything more towards enrolment fee other than the statutorily fixed fee and stamp duty amounting to Rs. 750," the Court added.

Thus, the Court disposed of the plea. 

The petition is moved by Advocates Shinto Mathew Abraham, Arun Thomas, Veena Raveendran, Karthika Maria, Anil Sebastian Pulickel, Leah Rachel Ninan, Mathew Nevin Thomas, Karthik Rajagopal, Kurian Antony Mathew, Aparnna S., Noel Ninan Ninan, Adeen Nazar, Arun Joseph Mathew, Rohan Mathew.

Case No: WP(C) 42845/2025

Case Title: Adv. Shani A.R. and Ors. v. Bar Council of Kerala and Anr.

Citation: 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 36

A detailed judgment is awaited.