A public interest litigation has been filed in high court seeking quashing of the notification/policy whereby the Punjab police has started imposing ₹80 charge for downloading first information reports (FIRs) from the Saanjh portal.
The PIL filed by Abhishek Malhotra and one more lawyer of the high court terms the move illegal, ultra vires to the section 173(2) Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
It further demanded that pending the PIL the notification be stayed and the police be directed to reimburse the amount charged so far from citizens. The PIL alleges that the respondents are levying this charge even on the informant/complainant/accused, in blatant violation of BNSS rules.
The PIL also refers to the article carried by Hindustan Times on March 24 detailing the government notification and how lawyers and others have questioned the move.
“The policy monetises a fundamental and statutory right to access justice, creates barriers for economically weaker sections, and is ultra vires the Central statute, State Police Rules, and Supreme Court directions. It also constitutes a human rights violation under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993,” the PIL says, adding that police cannot charge extra for a digital access to a public document.