Thiruvananthapuram; A recent move by the state government to hike the fees for filing petitions in family courts over property disputes and cheque cases has triggered widespread protests. These protests are being led by various associations of lawyers and Bar Associations, who have already lodged complaints in this regard with the government.

The fee hike was announced in the previous state budget and it came into effect on April 1 this year through a finance bill. According to the protesters, the hike contravenes the fundamental right to justice and particularly affects women from poor families who approach family courts. This decision is seen as particularly harsh for those who have lost money in cheque cases and rely on the court as their only recourse.

Previously, the fee for filing cases over property disputes in family courts was just Rs. 50. This has now been raised to Rs. 200 for cases involving assets worth up to one lakh rupees. For cases worth between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakhs, a fee of half a per cent of the amount is required. In cases worth over Rs 5 lakhs, the court fee is stipulated as one per cent of the amount, not exceeding Rs. 2 lakhs. This fee structure also applies to appeals filed in the High Court.

Meanwhile, the fee for cheque cases, which was as low as Rs 10, has been raised to Rs 3 lakhs. The government is targeting a revenue increase of up to Rs 50 crore through this fee hike. The High Court had earlier sought the state government’s opinion on the move while considering a petition on the matter.

The legislative assembly is slated to pass the Finance Bill on July 10. During this process, amendments to the bill could be made to avoid this sharp hike. A submission is being moved in the assembly on Wednesday, and Finance Minister KN Balagopal is likely to announce the government’s stance on this issue.