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 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,
(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.
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 two hundred taka
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. 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:
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 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. 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. 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. 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
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.
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 Penal Code.
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.
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.
(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.
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.
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.
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.
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 fifty paisa unless the Court thinks fit to remit such payment.
