New DelhiL A PIL was today filed in the Delhi High Court for direction to improve the functioning of the Bar Council of India (BCI) by making available online its cause- lists and orders to benefit litigants across the country.

The plea by a lawyer also sought court’s intervention in the alleged “high fees” charged by the lawyers’ apex body BCI for certified copies of orders and other documents.

A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal fixed the matter for hearing on December 15.

Petitioner Lal Babu Lalit, in a plea filed through his counsel Kamlesh Kumar Mishra, said if the BCI digitises the daily cause lists and orders on a daily basis, the litigants and lawyers residing in remote places will be benefited.

It would also rid them of unnecessary mental and physical harassment.

The petitioner, a lawyer, alleged that the BCI charges Rs 100 for the first two pages and Rs 500 per page for the rest.

“These charges are nominal in Supreme Court, High Courts and other district courts,” the petition added.

“The fees charged by them for the certified copies and other documents be minimised so that no unnecessary financial burden be felt by the young lawyers and the poor litigants,” the petition said.

It urged the court to frame guidelines on the internal functioning of the BCI.