Punjab withdraws Rs 80 FIR download fee — SAANJH free again
The charge lasted less than 48 hours. Here is what happened, why it matters, and what changes now.
North Desk Correspondent
Chandigarh, March 26
What has the Punjab government done?
The Punjab government has withdrawn the Rs 80 fee it had imposed for downloading First Information Reports from the SAANJH citizen portal. Additional Chief Secretary DK Tiwari of the Department of Good Governance and Information Technology has issued a fresh notification stating that no charges will be levied for downloading FIRs from the portal. The earlier notification imposing the Rs 80 service charge has been withdrawn with immediate effect.
When was the fee introduced and how long did it last?
The fee was introduced on Tuesday, March 24. It was withdrawn on Thursday, March 26 — less than 48 hours after it came into effect.
What triggered the withdrawal?
A combination of legal challenge and political pressure. Within hours of the fee going live, a PIL was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by Sharwan Singh, a Zirakpur resident, challenging the charge as illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of a 2016 Supreme Court order. The petition was filed as urgent on March 25.
Simultaneously, the political opposition mounted sharp public criticism. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa called it an attempt to push scrutiny of the government behind a paywall. The combination of an imminent High Court hearing and sustained political embarrassment appears to have forced the government’s hand.
What was the legal problem with the fee?
The Supreme Court in Youth Bar Association of India vs Union of India (2016) had directed that FIRs must be uploaded on official police websites within 24 hours of registration and made freely accessible to the public, subject only to limited exceptions in sensitive cases. The PIL argued that no provision under the Code of Criminal Procedure — now replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — or any other law authorised Punjab Police to charge for FIR access. The fee had no statutory backing.
What does the fresh notification say?
The notification issued by ACS DK Tiwari states that applicants will not be charged for obtaining FIR copies from Sanjh Kendras and through the SAANJH portal. The Rs 80 service charge stands withdrawn with immediate effect.
What was Punjab Police’s justification for the fee?
Punjab Police had defended the charge on two grounds. First, they said they were acting on government orders. Second, a police official told a newspaper that the SAANJH server — integrated with the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS) — had been facing strain due to a surge in downloads by third parties without genuine need. The fee, they argued, was meant to discourage unnecessary downloads rather than generate revenue.
Does the withdrawal mean the PIL is over?
Not necessarily. The PIL was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court as shared by the filing lawyers Vasu Shandilya and Abhishek Malhotra. The petitioner’s counsel may need to formally inform the court of the withdrawal and the fresh notification. The court may close the matter, or may choose to record the government’s action and issue broader directions to ensure the fee is not reimposed. North Desk will report when the matter comes up for hearing.
What happens to people who already paid the Rs 80 fee?
The notification is silent on refunds for those who paid during the brief window the fee was active. This is a question the government has not yet addressed.
What should citizens know going forward?
FIR downloads from the SAANJH portal are free again with immediate effect. If you encounter any payment demand on the portal, it should be reported to the Department of Good Governance and Information Technology. The fresh notification supersedes the earlier one entirely.
North Desk first reported the PIL challenging the fee on March 25. Read the original report here: northdesk.in/punjab-fir-made-paid-pil-says-illegal/
