Supreme Court rejects plea to ban non-biodegradable lawyer bands

The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea to ban non-biodegradable lawyer bands. A bench led by CJI BR Gavai questioned the court's scope, asking if it should also regulate handkerchiefs, and refused to entertain the environmental concerns.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking a ban on non-biodegradable lawyer bands in all courts across the country. A bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran refused to entertain the plea, saying, "Where should our remit end then? Monitor how handkerchiefs be used? Or regulate garbage issue in villages?"

Details of the Plea

The plea was filed by Sakshi Vijay, who stated that she is the wife of a lawyer, and sought a uniform and eco-friendly system for the collection, segregation, disposal, and recycling of used advocate bands.

As the matter came up for hearing, Vijay said that during her Diwali cleaning, she found several discarded lawyer bands which, she claimed, were made of non-biodegradable material. Continued use of such cloth bands contributed to environmental waste and required regulation, she told the bench, urging the bench to step in and regulate these cloth accessories on environmental grounds.

Supreme Court Questions Scope of Remit

To this, the top court said, "Can we also start monitoring how a handkerchief is going to be used and reused? The petitioner highlighted the absence of any uniform policy for the dignified and environmentally safe disposal of lawyers' bands that advocates are required to wear under the Bar Council of India Rules.

It sought a direction to the Bar Council of India and relevant government ministries to install band disposal bins in all courts, and to create a streamlined system for their collection, segregation and recycling, including the repurposing of shredded bands as fillers for cushions and toys. (ANI)

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