New Delhi, Oct 18: The Union Law Ministry has notified a set of rules establishing a framework for adjudicating violations related to court fees and stamp regulations in the Union Territories, with provisions for financial penalties, appeals and time-bound resolution of cases.
The Union Territories Court Fees (Adjudication of Penalties and Appeal) Rules, 2026, notified on Saturday, operationalise Sections 34A and 34B of the Court Fees Act, 1870. The provisions were introduced through amendments under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
The rules focus on administrative enforcement, accountability and timely resolution of disputes rather than changes to the existing court-fee system.
The amendments to the Court Fees Act replace criminal punishment with financial penalties for minor, non-fraudulent violations of stamp-sale regulations.
Under the new framework, revenue officers, licensed stamp vendors and members of the public can report alleged violations to designated adjudicating officers. These officers are empowered to examine complaints, conduct proceedings and impose penalties in accordance with the Act.
The rules also prescribe standardised forms for filing complaints, issuing show-cause notices and submitting appeals, aiming to ensure consistency in the adjudication process.
Before a penalty is imposed, the alleged violator must be served a show-cause notice and given a reasonable opportunity to present their case.
While determining the penalty, adjudicating officers will consider factors including the hardship caused to the public, repeated violations and any unfair financial gains arising from the offence.
The rules also establish time limits for issuing notices, completing adjudication proceedings and disposing of appeals to prevent unnecessary delays.
Those aggrieved by penalty orders can challenge them before the designated appellate authority.
Typical violations under the Court Fees Act include failures to pay or correctly calculate prescribed court fees, improper handling of court-fee stamps and discrepancies in document valuations.
The new framework seeks to streamline enforcement of court-fee and stamp-related provisions in the Union Territories while providing a structured mechanism for complaints, adjudication and appeals.
