LAHORE, Nov 8: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the federal government seeking explanation on the recent enhancement of the court fee for litigation in superior judiciary.

The notice was issued on a writ petition, filed by advocate A K Dogar, who stated that the increase amounted to denying the people access to justice.

The petitioner submitted that the federal government had recently decided to enhance the court fee for writ petitions from Rs100 to Rs500 and for intra-court and inter-court appeal from Rs200 to Rs1,000. He submitted that the increase negated the government's own policy of affordable justice.

HOLIDAY: The Lahore High Court and subordinate courts will remain closed on Tuesday on the eve of Iqbal Day. According to a notification issued here on Monday, the LHC's principal seat at Lahore and its benches at Bahawalpur, Multan, Rawalpindi and sessions and civil courts will not work today.

DACOITY: The LHC on Monday took a serious notice of the police for not satisfying complainants and registering cases under their own whims.

The court issued notice to the Mandi Faizabad (Sheikhupura) SHO to submit his explanation as to why he registered a case of theft instead of dacoity.

Mohammad Arif of Mandi Faizabad approached the high court through advocate M D Tahir, submitting that he filed an application for the registration of a dacoity case, but the SHO insisted that it was not an incident of dacoity and registered a case on the charge of theft.

He submitted that the police had a personal contact with a criminal who committed a dacoity in his house.