Govt withdraws Rs500 court fee

LAHORE: Following the efforts of Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, the government has withdrawn the controversial notification imposing a Rs500 court fee.

Amendments were made to the Finance Bill 2024 after the chief justice took notice and announced the cancellation of the Rs500 fee for certified copies in Multan and Bahawalpur.

Earlier, the Punjab government had raised the court fee from Rs50 to Rs500, prompting widespread protest. Office-bearers from the Lahore High Court Bar, Lahore Bar, Multan, Bahawalpur, and Rawalpindi Bar Associations met the chief justice over the issue.

CJ Neelum clarified that the fee hike occurred before her appointment and emphasized her commitment to lawyers’ welfare since taking office. She highlighted the construction of judicial complexes across Punjab and said she is fully aware of the state of the Lahore Bar building.

She also warned that the Aiwan-e-Adl building is at risk of collapse and noted that Lahore’s legal infrastructure issues are decades old. She added that when lawyers’ bodies failed to resolve the matter, she personally engaged with the Punjab government.

Justice Neelum revealed that she met the chief secretary and, despite criticism, remained focused on serving the legal community.

“Once you become president of a bar, you represent all lawyers – not any political party,” she stated. NNI