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1The Court-fees Act, 1870

( ACT NO. VII OF 1870 )

Chapter III

COMPUTATION OF FEES

Computation of fees payable in certain suits
7. The amount of fee payable under this Act in the suits next hereinafter mentioned shall be computed as follows:-
(i) for money;
i. In suits for money (including suits for damages or compensation, or arrears of maintenance, of annuities, or of other sums payable periodically) -according to the amount claimed:
(ii) for maintenance and annuities;
ii. In suits for maintenance and annuities or other sums payable periodically-according to the value of the subject-matter of the suit, and such value shall be deemed to be ten times the amount claimed to be payable for one year:
 
 
Provided that, in suits by widows for maintenance such value shall be deemed to be the amount claimed to be payable for one year.
(iii) for moveable property having a market-value;
iii. In suits for moveable property other than money, where the subject-matter has a market-value - according to such value at the date of presenting the plaint:
(iv) (a) for moveable property of no market- value;(b) [Omitted](c) for declaratory decree and consequential relief;(d) for an injunction;(e) for easements;(f) for accounts;
iv. In suits-
 
 
(a) for moveable property where the subject-matter has no market-value, as, for instance, in the case of documents relating to title,
 
 
(b) [Omitted by section 7(1) of the Court-fees (Amendment) Act, 1935 (Act No. VII of 1935).]
 
 
(c) to obtain a declaratory decree or order, where consequential relief is prayed.
 
 
(d) to obtain an injunction.
 
 
(e) for a right to some benefit (not herein otherwise provided for ) to arise out of land, and
 
 
(f) for accounts-
 
 
according to the amount at which the relief sought is valued in the plaint or memorandum of appeal subject to the provisions of section 8C.
 
 
2[In all such suits the plaintiff shall state the amount at which he values the relief sought:
 
 
Provided that in such suits the valuation shall not be such as would attract a court-fee of less than 3[two hundred taka].]
(v) for possession of land, buildings or gardens;
v. In suits for the possession of land, buildings or gardens
 
 
(a) according to the value of the subject-matter, and such value shall be deemed to be fifteen times the net profit which have arisen from the land, building or garden during the years next before the date of presenting the plaint, or if the Court sees reason to think that such profit have been wrongly estimated, fifteen times such amount as the Court may assess as such profits or according to the market-value of the land, building or garden,
 
 
whichever is greater:
 
 
(b) if, in the opinion of the Court, such profits are not readily ascertainable or assessable, or where there are no such profits, according to the market-value of the land, building or garden:
 
 
Explanation.In this paragraph “building” includes a house, out-house, stable, privy, urinal, shed, hut, wall and any other such structure, whether of masonry, bricks, wood, mud, metal or any other material whatsoever:
(vi) to enforce a right of pre-emption;
vi. In suit to enforce a right of pre-emption-according to the market-value of the land, building or garden in respect of which the right is claimed:
 
 
4[Provided that in an application to enforce a right of pre-emption under section 96 of the State Acquisition and Tenancy Act, 1950 (E.B Act No. XXXVIII of 1951) or under section 24 of the Non-Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1949 (E.B Act No XXIII of 1949), a fixed fee of an amount of 5[two hundred taka] shall be payable.
 
 
Explanation.In this paragraph "building" has the same meaning as in paragraph v;]
viA. In suits for partition and separate possession of a share of joint family property or of a joint property, or to enforce a right to a share in any property on the ground that it is joint family property or joint property-
 
 
if the plaintiff has been excluded from possession of the property of which he claims to be a co-parcener or co-owner, according to the market value of the share in respect of which the suit is instituted:
(vii) for interest of assignee of land revenue;
vii. In suits for the interest of an assignee of land revenue - fifteen times his net profits as such for the years next before the date of presenting the plaint:
(viii) to set aside an attachment;
viii. In suits to set aside an attachment of land or of an interest in land or revenue - according to the amount for which the land or interest was attached:
(viiiA) to set aside decrees;
viiiA. In suits to set aside decrees passed for ascertained amounts - according to the amounts of the decrees sought to be set aside, or where such decrees are not for any ascertained amounts, the fee payable shall be the same as paid on the plaints of the suits in which the questioned decrees were passed:
 
 
Provided that, where such amount exceeds the value of land or interest, the amount of fee shall be computed as if the suit were for the possession of such land or interest:
(ix) to redeem; to foreclose;
ix. In suits against a mortgage for the recovery of the property mortgaged,and in suits by a mortgage to foreclose the mortgage, or, where the mortgage is made by conditional sale, to have the sale declared absolute according to the principal money expressed to be secured by the instrument of mortgage:
(x) for specific performance;
x. In suits for specific performance
 
 
(a) of a contract of sale - according to the amount of the consideration:
 
 
(b) of a contract of mortgage - according to the amount agreed to be secured:
 
 
(c) of a contract of lease - according to the aggregate amount of the fine or premium (if any) and of the rent agreed to be paid during the first year of the term:
 
 
(d) of an award - according to the amount or value of the property in dispute:
(xi) between landlord and tenant;
xi. In the following suits between landlord and tenant:
 
 
(a) for the delivery by a tenant of the counterpart of a lease,
 
 
(b) to enhance the rent of a tenant having a right of occupancy,
 
 
(c) for the delivery by a landlord of a lease,
 
 
(cc) for the recovery of immovable property from a tenant including a tenant holding over after the determination of a tenancy,
 
 
(d) to contest a notice of ejectment,
 
 
(e) to recover the occupancy of immovable property from which a tenant has been illegally ejected by the landlord, and
 
 
(f) for abatement of rent
 
 
according to the amount of the rent of the immovable property to which the suit refers, payable for the year next before the date of presenting the plaint.
xii. In suits not expressly provided for in this section, according to the value claimed, but such value shall not be less than a value which would attract a Court-fee of less than fifteen taka.
Fee on memorandum of appeal against order relating to compensation
8. The amount of fee payable under this Act on a memorandum of appeal against an order relating to compensation under any Act for the time being in force for the acquisition of land for public purposes shall be computed according to the difference between the amount awarded and the amount claimed by the appellant.
Statement of particulars of subject-matter of suits and plaintiff's valuation thereof
6[8A. In every suit in which an ad valorem court-fee is payable under this Act on the plaint, the plaintiff shall file with the plaint a statement of particulars of the subject-matter of the suit and his own valuation thereof unless such particulars and the valuation are contained in the plaint. The statement shall be in such form and shall contain such particulars as may be prescribed by the Government by notification in the official Gazette. In every such suit the plaintiff shall also, if the Court so directs, file a duplicate copy of the plaint and of the said statement.
Procedure where insufficient Court-fee is filed on plaint or memorandum of appeal
8B.(1) In every suit in which a court-fee is payable under this Act on the plaint or memorandum of appeal the Court shall, on the date fixed for the appearance of the opposite party or as soon as may be thereafter, and in every case before proceeding to deliver judgment, record a finding whether a sufficient Court-fee has been paid.
 
 
(2) If the Court records a finding that an insufficient court-fee has been paid on the plaint or memorandum of appeal the Court shall
 
 
(a) stay all further proceedings in the suit until it has determined the proper amount of such court-fee payable and the plaintiff or the appellant, as the case may be, has paid such amount or until the date referred to in clause (b) as the case may be:
 
 
Provided that if the plaintiff or appellant gives, within such time as the Court may allow, security, to the satisfaction of the Court, for the payment of any additional amount for which he may be found liable the Court may proceed with the suit,
 
 
(b) fix a date before which the plaintiff or appellant shall pay the amount of court-fee due from him, as determined by the Court under clause (a).
 
 
(3) If the plaintiff or appellant fails to give the security referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (2) or to pay the amount referred to in clause (b) of that sub-section within the time allowed or before the date fixed, by the Court, as the case may be, the suit shall be dismissed.
Inquiry as to valuation of suits
8C. If the Court is of opinion that the subject-matter of any suit has been wrongly valued it may revise the valuation and determine the correct valuation and may hold such inquiry as it thinks fit for such purpose.
Investigation to ascertain proper valuation
8D.(1) For the purpose of an inquiry under section 8C the Court may depute, or issue a commission to , any suitable person to make such local or other investigation as may be necessary and to report thereon to the Court. Such report and any evidence recorded by such person shall be evidence in the inquiry.
 
 
(2) The Court may, from time to time, direct such party to the suit as it thinks fit to deposit such sum as the Court thinks reasonable as the costs of the inquiry, and if the costs are not deposited within such time as the Court shall fix, may, notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, dismiss the suit if such party is the plaintiff or the appellant and, in any other case, may recover the costs as a public demand.
Costs of inquiry as to valuation and refund of excess fee
8F. If in the result of an inquiry under section 8C the Court finds that the subject-mater of the suit has been under-valued the Court may order the party responsible for the under valuation to pay all or any part of the costs of the inquiry.
 
 
If in the result of such inquiry the Court finds that the subject-matter of the suit has not been undervalued the Court may, in its discretion, order that all or any part of such costs shall be paid by the Government or by any party to the suit at whose instance the inquiry has been undertaken, and if any amount exceeding the proper amount of fee has been paid shall refund the excess amount so paid.]
Power of persons making inquiry under sections 8C and 8D
8E.(1) The Court, when making an inquiry under section 8C and any person making an investigation under section 8D shall have, respectively, for the purposes of such inquiry or investigation, the powers vested in a Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, in respect of the following matters, namely:
 
 
(a) enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath or affirmation;
 
 
(b) compelling the production of documents or material objects; and
 
 
(c) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses
 
 
(2) An inquiry or investigation referred to in sub-section (1) shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections, 193 and 228 of the 7[* * *] Penal Code.
[Repealed]
9 and 10. [Repealed by section 9 of the Court-fees (Amendment) Act, 1935 ( Act No. VII of 1935).]
Procedure in suits for mesne profits or accounts when amount found due exceeds amount claimed
11.(1) Where, in any suit for mesne profits or for land and mesne profits or for an account, the fee which would have been payable if the suit had comprised the whole of the relief to which the Court finds the plaintiff to be entitled exceeds the fee actually paid, the Court shall require the plaintiff to pay an additional fee equal to the amount of the excess, and if such additional fee is not paid within such time as the Court may fix, the suit, or if a decree has previously been passed therein, so much of the claim as has not been so decreed, shall be dismissed:
 
 
Provided that, where the additional fee is payable in respect of a portion of the claim which can be relinquished, that portion only shall be dismissed.
Refund where amount decreed is less than amount claimed
(2) Where in any such suit as is referred to in sub-section (1) the Court-fee paid is found to be in excess of the amount of fee which would be payable if the suit had been valued at the amount decreed, the decree-holder shall be entitled to the refund of the excess of Court-fee paid by him.
Decision of questions as to valuation
12. i. Every question relating to valuation for the purpose of determining the amount of any fee chargeable under this chapter on a plaint or memorandum of appeal shall be decided by the Court in which such plaint or memorandum, as the case may be, is filed, and such decision shall be final as between the parties to the suit.
 
 
ii. But whenever any such suit comes before a Court of appeal, reference or revision, if such Court considers that the said question has been wrongly decided to the detriment of the revenue, it shall require the party by whom such fee has been paid to pay so much additional fee as would have been payable had the question been rightly decided, and thereafter:
 
 
(a) if the party required to pay is the appellant or petitioner, the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3) of section 8B shall, so far as may be, apply;
 
 
(b) if the party required to pay is the respondent or the opposite party, the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 8B shall, so far as may be, apply, and, if such party fails to pay the fee required before the date fixed by the Court, the Court shall recover the amount of such fee from him as a public demand:
 
 
Explanation.For the purposes of this section a question relating to the classification of any suit for the purpose of section 7 shall not be deemed to be a question relating to valuation.
Refund of fee paid on memorandum of appeal
13. If an appeal or plaint, which has been rejected by the lower Court on any of the grounds mentioned in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, is ordered to be received, or if a suit is remanded in appeal, on any of the grounds mentioned in Order XLI, Rule 23 of the First Schedule to the said Code for a second decision by the lower Court, the Appellate Court shall grant to the appellant a certificate, authorizing him to receive back from the Collector the full amount of fee paid on the memorandum of appeal:
 
 
Provided that if, in the case of a remand in appeal, the order of remand shall not cover the whole of the subject-matter of the suit, the certificate so granted shall not authorize the appellant to receive back more than so much fee as would have been originally payable on the part or parts of such subject-matter in respect whereof the suit has been remanded.
Refund of fee on application for review of judgment
14. Where an application for a review of judgment is presented on or after the ninetieth day from the date of the decree, the Court, unless the delay was caused by the applicant's laches, may, in its discretion, grant him a certificate authorizing him to receive back from the Collector so much of the fee paid on the application as exceeds the fee which would have been payable had it been presented before such day.
Refund where Court reverses or modifies its former decision on ground of mistake
15. Where an application for a review of judgment is admitted, and where, on the rehearing, the Court reverses or modifies its former decision on the ground of mistake in law or fact, the applicant shall be entitled to a certificate from the Court authorizing him to receive back from the Collector so much of the fee paid on the application as exceeds the fee payable on any other application to such Court under the second Schedule to this Act, No. 1, clause (b) or clause (d).
 
 
But nothing in the former part of this section shall entitle the applicant to such certificate where the reversal or modification is due, wholly or in part, to fresh evidence which might have been produced at the original hearing.
[Repealed]
16. [Repealed by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (V of 1908.]
Multifarious suits
17.(1) In any suit in which two or more separate and distinct causes of action are joined and separate and distinct relief's are sought in respect of each, the plaint or memorandum of appeal shall be chargeable with the aggregate amount of the fees with which the plaints or memoranda of appeal would be chargeable under this Act in separate suits instituted in respect of each such cause of action:
 
 
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to affect any power conferred by or under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to order separate trials.
 
 
(2) Where more relief's than one based on the same cause of action are sought either jointly or in the alternative, the fee shall be paid according to the value of the relief in respect of which the largest fee is payable.
Written examinations of complainants
18. When the first or only examination of a person who complains of the offence of wrongful confinement, or of wrongful restraint, or of any offence other than an offence for which police-officers may arrest without a warrant, and who has not already presented a petition on which a fee has been levied -
 
 
under this Act, is reduced to writing under the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, the complainant shall pay a fee of 8[fifty paisa] unless the Court thinks fit to remit such payment.
Exemption of certain documents
19. Nothing contained in this Act shall render the following documents chargeable with any fee:
 
 
i. Power-of-attorney or other written authority to institute or defend a suit when executed by an officer, warrant-officer, non-commissioned officer or private of the 9[Bangladesh] Army not in civil employment.
 
 
ii. [Repealed by the Amending Act, 1891 (Act No. XII of 1891).]
 
 
iii. Written statements called for by the Court after the first hearing of a suit.
 
 
iv. [Repealed by the Cantonment Act, 1889 (Act No. XIII of 1889).]
 
 
v-vii. [Omitted by the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949.]
 
 
viii. Probate of a will and letters of administration, where the amount or value of the property in respect of which the probate or letters shall be granted does not exceed two thousand taka.
 
 
ix. Application or petition to a Collector or other officer making a settlement of land-revenue, or to the 10[National Board of Revenue] or the Commissioner], relating to matters connected with the assessment of land or the ascertainment of rights thereto or interest therein, if presented previous to the final confirmation of such settlement.
 
 
x. Application relating to a supply for irrigation of water belonging to Government.
 
 
xi. Application for leave to extend cultivation, or to relinquish land, when presented to an officer of land-revenue by a person holding, under direct engagement with Government, land of which the revenue is settled, but not permanently.
 
 
xii. Application for service of notice of relinquishment of land or of enhancement of rent.
 
 
xiii. Written authority to an agent to distrain.
 
 
xiv. First application (other than a petition containing a criminal charge or information) for the summons of a witness or other person to attend either to give evidence or to produce a document, or in respect of the production or filing of an exhibit not being an affidavit made for the immediate purpose of being produced in court.
 
 
xv. Bail bonds in criminal cases, recognizances to prosecute or give evidence and recognizances for personal appearance or otherwise.
 
 
xvi. [Omitted by the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949].
 
 
xvii. Petition by a prisoner, or other person in duress or under restraint of any Court or its officers.
 
 
xviii. Complaint of a public servant (as defined in the 11[* * *] Penal Code), a municipal officer 12[* * *].
 
 
xix. Application for permission to cut timber in Government forests, or otherwise relating to such forests.
 
 
xx. Application for the payment of money due by Government to the applicant.
 
 
xxi. Petition of appeal against the choukidari assessment under Act No. XX of 1856, or against any municipal tax.
 
 
xxii. Applications for compensation under any law for the time being in force relating to the acquisition of property for public purposes.
 
 
xxiii. [Omitted by the Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances Order, 1949.]
 
 
xxiv. Petition under the Christian Marriage Act, 1872, sections 45 and 48.
 
 
xxv. Petition of appeal by Government servants or servants of a Court of Wards against orders of dismissal, reduction or suspension; copies of such orders filed with such appeals, and applications for obtaining such copies.
 
 

  • 1
    Throughout this Act, except otherwise provided, the words "the High Court Division", “Government” and “Taka” were substituted for the words "High Court" or "a High Court" or "any of the High Court", “Provincial Government” or “appropriate Government” and “rupees” or “Rs.” respectively by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
  • 2
    The words, colon and full-stop “In all such suits the plaintiff shall state the amount at which he values the relief sought: Provided that in such suits the valuation shall not be such as would attract a court-fee of less than one hundred taka.” were substituted, for the words and full-stop “In all such suits the plaintiff shall state the amount at which he values the relief sought.” by section 2 of the Finance Act, 1989 (Act No. XXXVI of 1989)
  • 3
    The words “two hundred taka” were substituted, for the words “five hundred taka” by section 2 of the Court-Fees (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act No. XXIV of 2002)
  • 4
    The proviso and Explanation were substituted, for “Explanation” by section 2 of the Finance Act, 1989 (Act No. XXXVI of 1989).
  • 5
    The words “”two hundred taka” were substituted, for the words “five hundred taka” by section 2 of the Court-Fees (Amendment) Act, 2002 (Act No. XXIV of 2002).
  • 6
    Sections 8A, 8B, 8C, 8D, 8E and 8F were inserted by section 8 of the Court-fees (Bengal Amendment) Act, 1935 (Act No. VII of 1935).
  • 7
    The word “Pakistan” was omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
  • 8
    The words “fifty paisa” were substituted, for the words “eight annas” by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
  • 9
    The word “Bangladesh” was substituted, for the word “Pakistan” by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973)
  • 10
    The words “National Board of Revenue” were substituted, for the words “Board of Revenue” by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
  • 11
    The word “Pakistan” was omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
  • 12
    The words “or an officer or servant of Railway company” were omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
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Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs