Union law ministry notifies 2026 rules for adjudicating court-fee penalty violations in Union territories

Key facts

• The Union law ministry notified the Union Territories Court Fees (Adjudication of Penalties and Appeal) Rules, 2026, issued on Saturday, to handle violations related to court fees and stamp rules in Union territories.
• The rules operationalise sections 34A and 34B of the Court Fees Act, 1870, added through amendments under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
• The amended Jan Vishwas law replaced criminal punishment with financial penalties for minor, non-fraudulent violations of stamp-sale rules under the Court Fees Act.
• Revenue officers, licensed stamp vendors and members of the public can report violations to designated adjudicating officers empowered to investigate and levy penalties.
• The rules prescribe uniform forms for complaints, show-cause notices and appeals, require a show-cause notice and reasonable opportunity for alleged violators, and lay down stringent timeframes for notice issuance, adjudication and appeal disposal.
• In determining penalties, officers will consider factors such as public hardship, repeated offences and unfair financial gains, and aggrieved parties can appeal penalty orders before a designated appellate authority.
• A typical violation under the Court Fees Act involves failing to properly pay, compute or handle mandatory court-fee stamps or document valuations.