NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court delivered a strong lesson to a third-year law student on Friday. The court told him to clearly draw a line between public interest and publicity — a reminder he will surely remember during his legal career. The drama unfolded even before the student, Harry Joseph, could argue his Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The bench, led by CJI-designate Surya Kant, asked instantly, “When was the Presidential Order issued specifying which scheduled caste communities would get reservation?” Caught off guard, Harry stumbled but quickly replied, “It affects my interest.” The court was quick to school him: “The Order was passed in 1950, and you woke up just now? You want to court the media and seek publicity? This is a publicity interest litigation. Go and complete your studies properly.” The bench further told Harry that he must do proper research and file a serious PIL, not one like the current petition, which it called “incomplete” and “cryptic” with wrong information. It even warned that if he filed such publicity-focused petitions again, he could face heavy fines. The cause behind all this fuss? The Presidential Order of 1950, which was later amended in 1956 and 1990. This order offers reservation benefits to Scheduled Castes among Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs. But here’s the catch — it doesn’t extend these benefits to Scheduled Caste individuals who have adopted Christianity or Islam. So, the Supreme Court's message is loud and clear: Law students and petitioners must come prepared with facts and genuine concerns, not just media-savvy publicity tricks!