File Photo: A view of Supreme Court of India | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

The Supreme Court on Friday told an advocate, who has filed 25 separate PILs on a range of issues, that he should approach the authorities instead of rushing to the court.

As soon as the matter was called up for hearing, advocate Sachin Gupta, who was appearing as petitioner-in-person, told a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that he wanted to withdraw the PILs.

"You concentrate on the profession. You should approach the authorities, make them wiser on certain issues instead of rushing to the court," the CJI, who was heading the bench which also comprised Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, told Gupta.

The bench said at appropriate stage, the court would also entertain his petitions, if the need arise.

The CJI said being a member of the bar and a person with legal knowledge, the petitioner should identify the issues with an analytical approach and try to sensitise the authorities concerned.

The bench said if nothing happens, then the petitioner may approach the court.

The top court allowed the petitioner to withdraw the 25 PILs which were listed for hearing.

The PILs filed by the petitioner sought a range of directions, including to frame a policy to develop common link language in country for official purposes and draft a policy for legal awareness show on television to spread legal knowledge among general public.

The prayers made in the PILs included direction for drafting a policy to issue guidelines regarding use of chemicals in soaps and allow only those chemicals which kill harmful bacteria and not bacteria which are essential for skin health.

One of the PILs sought direction to draft a policy for upliftment of disadvantageous groups like beggars, transgender etc.

On March 9, the top court had trashed five "frivolous" public interest litigations (PILs) filed by Gupta, including one seeking a scientific study on whether onion and garlic contain "tamasic" (negative) energy, and asked if he drafted them in the middle of the night.

"Aadhi raat ko yeh sab petition draft karte ho kya? (Do you draft all these petitions in the middle of the night?)" the CJI had reprimanded him, terming the PILs "vague, frivolous and baseless".

The bench had also dismissed four other PILs filed by Gupta, including the one which sought directions to regulate allegedly harmful content in alcohol and tobacco products.

Published on April 10, 2026