New Delhi, May 8 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday said that at least 40 per cent litigation pursued by Central and state governments is frivolous.

A bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai observed that two young women had appeared for Union of India in two different matters and it told both that if these matters were to be argued by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG), "we would have dismissed it with cost of Rs 10 lakh".

The bench observed that it did not want to impose in the matters where young counsel appeared for the government.

Justice Gavai said: "For a matter which involves Rs 700 per month, the state or Union must have spent Rs 7 lakh and too from the public exchequer."

The bench, also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol, made these observations when counsel sought to mention a matter.

The bench said the government should try to weed out such unnecessary litigation and further observed that poor employees are getting Rs 50,000 or Rs 60,000 additionally.

After the court's observations, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present in court to argue a matter involving a batch of petitions challenging the extension given to the ED Director, resumed his submissions.