The law ministry has notified rules for adjudicating court-fee and stamp violations in Union territories. The framework decriminalises minor non-fraud breaches while ensuring time-bound penalties and appeals.
The law ministry has notified rules for adjudicating court-fee and stamp violations in Union territories.
New Delhi,Oct 18, 2026 20:02 IST
The Union law ministry has notified rules to create a framework for dealing with violations related to court fees and stamp regulations in Union territories, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The Union Territories Court Fees (Adjudication of Penalties and Appeal) Rules, 2026, issued on Saturday, bring into effect sections 34A and 34B of the Court Fees Act, 1870. These sections were recently added through amendments under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
The rules do not change the court-fee system. They focus on administrative enforcement, accountability and the resolution of disputes within fixed timelines.
The amended Jan Vishwas law changed the Court Fees Act to replace criminal punishment with financial penalties for minor violations of stamp-sale rules that do not involve fraud.
Under the new rules, revenue officers, licenced stamp vendors and members of the public can report violations to designated adjudicating officers. These officers have the authority to investigate complaints and impose penalties under the Court Fees Act, PTI reported.
The rules provide standard forms for filing complaints, issuing show-cause notices and submitting appeals. An alleged violator must receive a show-cause notice and be given a reasonable opportunity to present their case.
While deciding the penalty, officers will consider factors including hardship caused to the public, repeat offences and unfair financial gains. The rules also set strict timelines for issuing notices, completing adjudication and deciding appeals to prevent delays.
Those affected by an adjudication order can challenge the penalty before a designated appellate authority. Typical violations under the Court Fees Act include failing to properly pay or calculate court fees, mishandling mandatory court-fee stamps, or incorrectly valuing documents.
In summary, the rules establish a standard, time-bound process in Union territories for reporting and examining court-fee and stamp-rule violations, imposing financial penalties and filing appeals.
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