Punjab reduces court fees in major relief for public and lawyers

Punjab Government has announced a reduction in court fees. following the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

The Punjab Government made the adjustment to court fees on various petitions and applications following concerns raised by lawyers and citizens about the increased fees in the budget.

Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, took notice of these concerns and instructed the federal and provincial law ministers, Mr. Azam Nazir Tarar and Sohaib Ahmed Bherth, to consult with all stakeholders and address the issues.

In response, a high-level meeting was held at the Law and Parliamentary Affairs office, chaired by Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Provincial Law Minister Sohaib Ahmed Bherth.

The meeting was attended by key legal figures, including Punjab Bar Council Vice Chairman Babar Waheed, Executive Committee Chairman Rao Fazal ur Rehman, High Court Bar Association Secretary Qadir Bux, Lahore High Court Bar President Munir Hussain Bhatti, Senior Member of Pakistan Bar Council Ahsan Bhoon, and other regional bar association leaders.

The committee carefully reviewed the court fees and unanimously agreed to reduce them as much as possible, ensuring that the public can access justice more easily and affordably.

Law Minister Malik Ahmad Bhurath stated that under the revised structure, the court fee for obtaining certified copies of orders or judgments from civil courts has been set at a one-time fee of Rs 100, while for high court orders, the fee is Rs 500. Additionally, the fee for each certified copy page is now Rs 10.

The revised notification also stipulates a one-time fee of Rs 500 for review applications filed with the Board of Revenue or commissioners under the Punjab Tenancy Act 1887.

Similarly, for review petitions under CPC Section 115 in the High Court, the fee remains Rs 500, while in cases with a value below Rs 10,000, the fee is set at Rs 10.

For claims involving compensation to tenants, the court fee is Rs 100. Requests for case transfers between courts or authorities now carry a fee of Rs 100, while transferring cases to the High Court will incur a PKR 200 fee.

Fees for filing legal representation, including affidavits and powers of attorney, have also been reduced, with a fee of Rs 100 for civil and criminal courts, and Rs 200 for high courts and the Board of Revenue. Notably, all court fees for family courts and prisoner representation have been completely abolished.

These reductions have been welcomed by the legal community, with the High Court Bar President and senior lawyers expressing gratitude to Maryam Nawaz for her commitment to affordable justice.

The notification is seen as a crucial step in making legal proceedings more accessible to the public.