Affix Puducherry court fees stamps for litigations from UT: HC

The Madras High Court today made it clear that for litigations arising out of the jurisdictional limits of Puducherry, court fees stamps issued by the Union Territory alone should be used.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar gave the direction on a PIL by advocate J Kumaran.
"We are of the view that the appropriate course of action would be to issue a direction that in respect of litigation relating to the Union Territory of Puducherry. Court fees stamp papers or e-court fees stamps issued by government of Puducherry should be used irrespective of the jurisdiction invoked of this court," it said.

The petitioner had submitted that as per Section 4 of the Pondicherry (Administration) Act, 1962, the Madras High Court was having jurisdiction over the Union Territory and writ petitions, appeals and review pleas were filed in the high court.
However, litigants were affixing Tamil Nadu court fees stamp papers in these litigations, which he submitted was nothing but improper accumulation of Puducherry government's revenue into the account of Tamil Nadu government.
The bench observed that the matter had apparently escaped attention at all levels till it had been brought to the notice of the court by the present PIL and made it clear that court fee stamp papers issued by Puducherry government alone should be used.