LAHORE, May 17: The Lahore High Court has taken a serious notice of reports of illegal gratification being demanded by some of the court staffers from lawyers and litigants.

“In future, no leniency will be shown to any official found involved in receiving illegal gratification and alike malpractices in any manner,” says a circular issued by LHC Additional Registrar (G&S) Attaur Rehman on Tuesday.

Expressing his concern at the reports, Mr Rehman said such practices became more unacceptable in the backdrop of reasonable increase in pay and allowances of the high court employees.

The circular said such misdeeds were not only earning a bad name for the institution but also called for penal action against those involved.

All the private secretaries, readers attached with the courts and assistant registrars, deputy registrars, additional registrars have been directed to detect such misdeeds and to immediately report to the competent authority for necessary penal action against the delinquents, failing which the officer in charge will also be treated as an accomplice.