Court fees revised for cases before District Consumer Redressal Forum

October 26: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs) has revised the court fees payable for cases before the district consumer disputes redressal forums. A notification No. G.S.R. 898(E), dated September 14 intimates a reduction in the court fee payable by complainants. As per the revised fee structure, “no court fees have to be paid for disputes valued up to Rs 5 lakhs”.

Under the earlier rule, court fees were required to be paid for disputes valued above Rs 1 lakh. The notification amends Section 9A of the Consumer Protection Rules, 1987, which deals with court fee applicable before the district consumer dispute redressal forum.

Under the earlier rules, a court fee of Rs 200 was payable where the dispute value was between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakhs; Rs 400 was payable for disputes valued between Rs 5 lakhs and Rs 10 lakhs; and Rs 500 was payable for disputes valued between Rs 10 lakhs and Rs 20 lakhs. Disputes valued above Rs 20 lakhs lies before the state forum. The changes thus made shall come into on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.