Chandigarh: The Punjab government has withdrawn its decision to charge ₹80 for downloading FIRs from the police website, cancelling the earlier notification and issuing fresh orders.
According to the new directive, no fee will be charged for downloading FIRs from the Sanjh Portal or for obtaining copies from Sanjh Kendras. The earlier service charge has been scrapped with immediate effect.
However, the implementation is yet to be fully reflected online, as the payment option for FIR downloads is still visible on the portal.
The issue had reached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed challenging the legality of the charges.
Advocate Vasu Ranjan Shandilya, chairman of the Council of Lawyers, and national coordinator Abhishek Malhotra said the PIL will not be withdrawn. They pointed out that fees of ₹100 for DDR copies and ₹20 for lodging lost reports are still being charged.
The petition also seeks a refund for individuals who paid the ₹80 fee for FIR downloads in the past few days.
The government’s move is being seen as a response to legal pressure, with the matter likely to remain under judicial scrutiny until all related charges are reviewed.
