The Gujarat High Court recently issued a circular informing all the concerned learned Advocates / Litigants to make payment of outstanding Court Fees in cases that were filed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Court also asked them to submit the original documents / certified copies of the documents in the matters already decided / disposed of, which were filed during the Covid-19 Pandemic period i.e. from March 22, 2020 to January 07, 2022.

The Court said that in cases where Court fees have not been paid or have been insufficiently paid, they must be settled within 30 days from the issuance of the circular. The circular issued by the Judicial Registrar warned that failing to do so would result in the outstanding fees being recovered as arrears of land revenue.

The circular further states that if the original document(s) is/are not filed, within a period of 30 days from the issuance of the circular, no certified copies of the said document(s) shall be issued.

The circular requires that the same shall be done between 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon on office working days, in BB Section for Criminal side matters, in the Decree Department for Civil side matters and in the OJ Department for OJ side matters.

The Court said that the list of all decided/disposed of matters that were filed during the COVID-19 pandemic period was annexed with the notice.

The Court requested learned Advocates/litigants to intimate the concerned Branch of the Judicial Department, as stated above, where they have already made payment of outstanding Court Fees and/or submitted the original documents.

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