Manohar Lal Sharma

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Manohar Lal Sharma is an Supreme Court advocate, popular among Indian lawyers and known for filing many public interest litigations in India. [1] He has been characterized as a "serial petitioner," with many of his cases dismissed at preliminary stages. [2]

Contents

Career

Starting with a public interest litigation in 1991 against provisions of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, Sharma has litigated a number of issues in Indian courts that have attracted media attention. [1]

He had filed the first petition before the Supreme Court about the Indian coal allocation scam. [3] He was also the first to challenge the government's decision to abrogate Article 370 of Indian Constitution. [1]

In 2007, as an independent advocate, he filed a public interest litigation petition in the Supreme Court in the case of Sant Muktabai Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana. [4] That same year, he filed a PIL against the nomination of Pratibha Patil as president on grounds of financial impropriety, which was dismissed at the admissions stage. He also challenged the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) margin rule application and filed a case seeking a judicial committee to probe allegations against former Chief Justice of India Y. K. Sabharwal in the Delhi sealing cases; both were dismissed at admission. [2]

In 2008, he filed a PIL against the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement, which was dismissed. Between 2010 and 2012, he filed multiple cases against the Union of India and state governments, with many dismissed due to lack of substantial prayer and improper drafting. [2]

He also defended the accused in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case. [1] The Delhi gang rape case shot him into the international media limelight [1] He was, at the time, the only lawyer prepared to defend the rape accused in the face of a boycott call by various advocate associations. [5]

Other dismissed petitions include a December 2015 case claiming the CIA was funding the Aam Aadmi Party, a 2011 petition seeking regulation of NGO finances, and a 2017 challenge to the Indus Waters Treaty. In 2021, he filed a petition seeking a probe into the Pegasus spyware issue. [2]

Blaming the Nirbhaya Case victims for using public transport and lack of character

In defence of the accused in the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case, Sharma blamed the victim for using public transportation. He said, "Until today I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady. Even an underworld don would not like to touch a girl with respect." [1] [6] Sharma claimed the gang rape was "planned by her boyfriend to gain political mileage." [7]

Notice by Court

In May 2015, Supreme Court issued a notice to Sharma to show cause “why he should not be debarred from filing and/or canvassing any Public Interest Litigation on account of the irresponsible and scandalous allegations levelled by him” in his pleadings challenging the NJAC. [8] In response, Sharma tendered an unconditional apology to the Court. [9]

Contempt notice over false averments

On 18 November 2022, Supreme Court of India issued contempt notice to Sharma for allegedly attributing motives to Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Ravi Malimath in their petition challenging the High Court verdict. [10] [11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sharma, Nalini (23 July 2021). "A peek into ML Sharma's world of publicity interest litigation". India Today.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Desk, Web (22 July 2021). "Story of a 'serial petitioner': M.L. Sharma's many pleas and controversies". The Week.{{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ↑ Ojha, Srishti (12 May 2022). "Coal Block Allocation Scam: Supreme Court Seeks Centre's Affidavit On Stages Of Investigation In Different Cases". LiveLaw.in.
  4. ↑ "SC to hear PIL on Pratibha tomorrow". PTI. 2 July 2007.
  5. ↑ "Gang-rape case: Counsel faces lawyers' protest to defend accused". The Economic Times. 7 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Nirbhaya Convicts Lawyer AP Singh Does An ML Sharma, Now Questions Victim's Character". IndiaTimes. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  7. ↑ "'Nirbhaya Gang Rape was planned by her boyfriend to gain political mileage', says defence lawyer ML Sharma". India.com. 10 August 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  8. ↑ Singh, Mohit (2 May 2015). "Supreme Court issues notice to ML Sharma asking why he should not be disbarred from filing PILs". One Law Street. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  9. ↑ Singh, Mohit (18 July 2015). "Supreme Court accepts ML Sharma's apology; allows to file PILs with checks". One Law Street. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  10. ↑ Service, Tribune News. "Contempt notices to 2 lawyers over false averments". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Jiji, Sara Susan (25 November 2022). "Bar Council of Kerala issues suo motu show cause notice to advocate BA Aloor for professional misconduct". Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news. Retrieved 26 November 2022.


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