By: Express News ServiceNew Delhi | Updated: November 18, 2025 01:27 PM IST 2 min readThe Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by a lawyer’s wife who approached it seeking a mechanism for disposing of bands worn by advocates in courts and urging the court to set an example by setting up collection boxes.“Tomorrow, should we issue writs to monitor the use of handkerchiefs by citizens in the country?” Chief Justice of India B R Gavai, presiding over a two-judge bench, asked the petitioner.The petitioner, who introduced herself as a lawyer’s wife, said while cleaning their house before Diwali, she “realised that there are lots of bands in the house which are not being used again.”CJI Gavai then remarked, “You could have educated your husband.”The petitioner said, “I actually washed the bands myself. After washing, it’s not reusable because the starch goes away. This (band) is different from handkerchiefs because it’s a mark of honour. In the morning, everybody uses it as if it’s a matter of pride. But ultimately it’s going to the landfill with used napkins.”The petitioner urged the court to set an example by setting up collection boxes.“The Supreme Court could be an example of that, and this could be collected. It can be reused in various ways, including being starched again industrially. It requires institutional intervention. That’s why I came here,” she said.Story continues below this adCJI Gavai asked the petitioner about the areas in which the court should intervene across the country. “In a village, a collection of garbage? In a municipal area, the collection of garbage? Disposal of garbage, sewage treatment plant?”The petitioner stated that municipal rules actually refer to it as cloth waste.However, the apex court was not impressed with her argument, and went on to dismiss it.© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:supreme court