Delhi Assembly Approves 100% Court Fee Refund for Out-of-Court Settlements

The Delhi Assembly amended the Court Fees Act, 1870, to enable a 100% refund of court fees for out-of-court settlements.

Earlier, mutual settlements received only a 50% refund, unlike court-referred settlements, which got a full refund. The amendment ensures a full refund for both mutual and court-referred settlements.

A 2022 PIL, Praveen Kumar Aggarwal v. Government of NCT of Delhi, had challenged the Court Fees Act, 1870, as discriminatory.

The law department formed a prima facie view that an amendment was needed to remove discrimination and ensure equal treatment. 

[Praveen Kumar Aggarwal v. Government of NCT of Delhi]