The Government of Delhi vide it's notification dated September 24, 2019 has amended the Delhi Advocates' Welfare Fund Rules, 2001, thereby increasing the value of the stamps to be affixed on a Vakalatnama to Rs. 25 as a welfare stamp.

The Amendment renumbered the existing Rule 21 of the Rules as Rule 21A and further inserted the following:

"21. Vakalatnama to bear stamps – Every advocate shall affix stamps of a value of twenty five rupees on every Vakalatnama to be filed by him in the court namely Supreme Court, High Court, District Court or a court subordinate to the District Court, tribunals and other authorities, wherever Vakalatnama is filed."

Furthermore, the renumbered Rule 21A (earlier Rule 21) was amended to read as follows:

"21A. Value and Design of Stamps – (1) Stamps shall be printed in the denominations of twenty five rupees."

It is pertinent to mention here that the new amendment has abolished the difference in value of welfare stamps amongst the Tribunals, High Court, Supreme Court and the Subordinate Courts. Earlier the value of welfare stamp, which has to be affixed mandatorily on every Vakalatnama filed by an Advocate before any tribunal, the High Court of Delhi and the Supreme Court was Rs. 10 and the same was Rs. 5 for all the subordinate courts.

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