India, Sept. 12 -- New Delhi

The Supreme Court has affirmed the authority of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to levy a separate fee for conducting the All India Bar Examination (AIBE), dismissing a challenge that claimed the levy was illegal and contrary to the Advocates Act.

A bench of justices JB Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta, while rejecting a writ petition filed by Sanyam Gandhi, clarified that the bar imposed earlier on the BCI from charging enrollment fees over and above what is prescribed under the Advocates Act would not apply to the AIBE, which is an entirely different exercise.

"The decision in Gaurav Kumar Vs Union of India would apply in so far as the enrollment fees are concerned. Here, the issue is with regard to charging of...