The Delhi High Court has directed the State of Madhya Pradesh to pay ₹78.65 lakh to Senior Advocate and former Madhya Pradesh Advocate General Anoop George Chaudhari towards professional fees for appearances before the Supreme Court. Justice Sachin Datta also awarded 9% annual interest from the date of filing of the writ petition until payment.
The judgment was pronounced on August 31, 2026, in a dispute arising from the lawyer’s appearances before a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in matters concerning land acquisition.
The petitioner claimed outstanding fees for appearances and conferences in the Indore Development Authority matter and the M.P. Housing Board matter. His records showed appearances before the Constitution Bench on 14 dates, while 35 fee bills totalling ₹1.76 crore had originally been raised.
The State disputed his entitlement and argued that there was no formal appointment or authorization. It also contended that the claim involved disputed facts and therefore should not be decided in a writ petition.
Justice Datta rejected the objection, holding that the record did not disclose the kind of genuine factual dispute that would require a separate trial. The Court relied, among other things, on Supreme Court records showing the petitioner’s appearances and on communications from the State’s own Standing Counsel forwarding his bills for payment.
The Court also noted that the State’s own former Chief Secretary had acknowledged that the petitioner was engaged for the Indore Development Authority matter and that his bills could be processed at prevailing rates.
On the fee amount, the Court accepted the rate of ₹6.05 lakh per appearance, including clerkage, but declined to allow separate appearance fees where the two connected matters were heard together. Conference fees were also rejected for want of sufficient supporting records.
The Court ultimately found 13 billed appearances supported by the Supreme Court record, resulting in ₹78.65 lakh.
The Court directed the State of Madhya Pradesh to pay ₹78,65,000 with 9% annual interest from the date of filing of the writ petition until payment, within six weeks.
“The said payment shall be made within a period of six weeks from today.”
The writ petition was partly allowed, and all pending applications were disposed of.
Case Title: Anoop George Chaudhari v. State of Madhya Pradesh
Case Number: W.P.(C) 13196/2021
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