Revised fee structure payable to various categories of Central Government Counsel effective from 01.02.2026: Department of Legal Affairs O.M. dated 05.02.2026
No.J- 12011/6/2025- Judicial/E.158060
Government of India
Ministry of Law & Justice
Department of Legal Affairs
(Judicial Section)
Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi,
Dated the 05th February, 2026
Office Memorandum
Subject – Revision of fee payable to various categories of Central Government Counsel – reg.
In partial modification to this Department’s various OMs issued from time to time, the undersigned is directed to convey approval of Competent Authority for the revision of the fee structure applicable to Government counsels of all categories with effect from i.e.01.02.2026 as per the details given below:
Table ‘A’
The fee structure applicable to Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ panel Counsel in Supreme Court
Sl. No. |
Item of work | Group ‘A’ Counsel | Group ‘B’ & ‘C’ Counsel |
| 1. | All Regular Appeals and defended Writ Petitions (for final hearing) per case per day | 21600/- | 14400/- |
| 2. | All defended Admission matters (SLP/TP, writ petitions & other misc. matters for admission) per case per day | 14400/- | 7200/- |
| 3. | Setting of pleadings (per case) | 8400/- | — |
| 4. | Appearance in Miscellaneous Applications (per case) | 7200/- | — |
| 5. | Drafting SLP/Counter Affidavit/ Rejoinder etc. (per case) | — | 4800/- |
| 6. | Drawing Written Submission (per case) | — | 4800/- |
| 7. | Drafting or Appearance in Miscellaneous Applications (including mentioning the case / Caveat / Clearance/ obtaining the number and taking date for the hearing) (per case basis) | — | 4800/- |
| 8. | Conference | 1440/- | — |
| 9. | Daily fee for services out of Headquarters | 21600/- | 14400/- |
| 10. | Entitlement for travel / hotel expenses for services availed outside Headquarters | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 12 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. | |
| 11. | Clerkage | Nil | Nil |
| 12. | Fee in identical/connected cases: If matter is contested (per case) If matter is disposed without contest (per case) (in terms of clause 8 (ii) in chapter hereinabove) |
If substantially identical SLP/Petitions of Appeal/Counter Affidavits including stay applications are drafted in connected cases, only one drafting fee will be payable in the main case and no separate drafting fee will be payable in connected cases | — |
| 13. | Out of pocket and Misc. expenses | Not applicable | Not applicable |
All other terms and conditions applicable to Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Panel Counsel in Supreme Court in the pre- revised OM No. 21(04)/1999- Judl. dated 24.09.1999 read with OM No. 21(05)/2011- Judl. dated 01.10.2011 shall continue to remain applicable unless specifically revoked/revised.
Table-B
All the High Courts and Tribunals (Except Principal Benches of High Court of Bombay and Calcutta)
The Fee structure applicable to Deputy Solicitors General of all High Courts and its Benches, Counsels of all the High Courts and Tribunals (except Principal Benches of High Court of Bombay and Calcutta alongwith CAT Mumbai and Kolkata Benches) as per the following rates:
| Sl. No. | Item of work | Dy.SG, Sr. CGSC, CGSC, and SPCCGC | Addl. CGSC & GP |
| 1. | Retainership fee (per month) [admissible to all the Deputy Solicitors General of India; Sr. CGSC and CGSC (DHC)] | 14400/- | |
| 2. | Suits, Writ Petitions, and Appeals, including oral Applications for Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court in Writ Petitions along-with Criminal Revision Applications, Criminal Reference matters, Contempt Petition (Criminal), Misc. Criminal cases, Bail Applications etc. (per case per day) | ||
| (a) For effective hearing | (a) 14400/- | (a) 3600/- | |
| (b) for non-effective hearing (maxi five non-effective hearings in a case or bunch of cases) | (b) 2400/- | (b) 720/- | |
| 3. | Application for Leave to Appeal to Supreme Court in Writ Petitions (per case) | 4800/- | – |
| 4. | Settling pleadings (per case) | 4800/- | – |
| 5. | Drafting of pleadings, counter affidavits / returns / answer to writ petitions / grounds of appeal and application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court except in cases where fee on ad valorem basis has been prescribed (per pleading) | – | 2160/- |
| 6. | Drafting of civil miscellaneous applications to petitions under the Indian Succession Act, contempt of court proceedings and other proceedings of an original nature (per petitions) | – | 1800/- |
| 7. | Original suits, civil appeals from decrees in suits and proceedings including 2nd appeal and land acquisition appeal except LPA from petitions under article 226 and 227 of the Constitution i.e. Ad Valorem/regulation fee (It is a lump sum fee per case including drafting fee) | – | As per concerned respective High Court General rules/procedure. |
| 8. | Miscellaneous Application | 4800/- | – |
| 9. | Conference fee* (per conference) | 1440/- Subject to : (i) for setting pleadings : one conference (ii) In respect of hearing of Writ matters, Suits appeals and Supreme Courts leave applications etc.- three conferences (maximum) |
720/- |
| 10. | Entitlement for travel / hotel expenses for services availed outside Headquarters | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 12 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 11 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. |
| 11. | Clerkage @10% of total fee in a case | – | 2880/- |
| 12. | Fee in identical / connected cases: | ||
| (a) If matter is contested –When the Counsel filed Separate and materially different, affidavits, applications or grounds of appeal etc. in more than one case but the argument is heard in the main case and the other cases are decided accordingly, the Counsel shall be paid the full fee in the main case and Rs.150/- in each of the connected cases. | (a) 1500/- | (a) 600/- | |
| (b) If matter is disposed of without contest –when the main case has been contested as in (a) above, but in the connected cases either affidavits or grounds of an appeal or petition similar to the one in the main case or nothing at all has been drafted by the Counsel, he shall be paid the full fee in the main case and Rs.75/- only in each of the connected case. | (b) 750/- | (b) 300/- | |
| (c) 1/3rd fee in main case and Rs. 1500/- in each of the connected matters. | (c) 1/3rd fee in main case and Rs. 1500/- in each of the connected matters. | (c) 1/3rd fee in main case and Rs. 600/- in each of the connected matters. | |
| (d) When the Counsel has drafted the affidavit, petition or ground of appeal in the main case and has not drafted them in the connected cases or the drafts in the connected cases are substantially similar to the one in the main case and the cases are disposed of without contest, the Counsel shall get 1/3rd fees in the main case and Rs.75/- in each of the connected cases | (d) 1/3rd fee in main case and Rs. 750/- in each of the connected matters. | (d) 1/3rd fee in main case and Rs. 300/- in each of the connected matters. | |
| 13. | Out of pocket and Misc. expenses | As per actual and subject to satisfaction of Ministry / Department concerned | |
All other terms and conditions applicable to Counsel in various High Courts/CAT Benches (excluding the High Court of Bombay and Calcutta) in to this Department’s OM No. 24(02)/99- Judl. OM No. 26(01)/99- Judl., OM No. 25(03)/99- Judl. and OM No. 26(02)/99- Judl. all dated 24.09.1999 read with OM No. 26(01)/2005- Judl. dated 31.01.2008 and OM No. 26(01)/2011- Judl. dated 01.10.2011 shall continue to remain applicable unless specifically revoked/revised.
Table ‘C’
High Courts (Principal Benches) as well as CAT & Other Tribunals Benches of Bombay and Calcutta
The Fee structure applicable to Counsels of High Courts (Principal Benches) as well as Central Administrative Tribunal & Other Tribunals Benches in Bombay and Calcutta as per the following rates:
| Sl. No. | Item of work | Special Counsel | Senior Counsel Group – I | Senior Counsel Group – II | Jr. Counsel / Advocate on record. |
| 1. | Suits, Appeals, Writ/Revision Petitions including Special Civil Application in High Court along-with Criminal Revision Applications, Criminal Reference matters, Contempt Petition (Criminal), Misc. Criminal cases, Bail Applications etc. | 14400/- | 9600/- | 6000/- | 2880/- |
| 2. | Application including interim Motions, Notices, Appeals, Leave Application, Arbitration, Company Matter, Criminal revision and other Land Acquisition References (Per day per effective hearing) | 4800/- | 4800/- | 3600/- | 2160/- |
| Per conference/ consultation | 1440/- | 1200/- | 960/- | 720/- | |
| 3. | Drafting or Settling Pleadings, and Affidavits (per pleading) | 4800/- | 2880/- | 2400/- | 1680/- |
| Per conference/ consultation | 1440/- | 1200/- | 960/- | 720/- | |
| 4. | Appearance before Arbitration and Tribunal etc and Courts other than High Courts (Per day per effective hearing) Per conference/ Consultation | 12000/- | 9600/- | 6000/- | 3600/- |
| Per conference/ consultation | 1440/- | 1200/- | 960/- | 720/- | |
| 5. | Chamber Application, including Adjournment Application per day inclusive of consultation | – | 2400/- | 1440/- | 960/- |
| 6. | Written opinions and written advice including advice on evidence (inclusive of consultation) | 6000/- | 3600/- | 2160/- | 1680/- |
| 7. | Entitlement for Travel and Hotel expenses for services availed out of headquarter | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 12 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 11 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. | ||
All other terms and conditions applicable to the Counsels of High Courts as well as CAT Benches of Bombay and Kolkata in the pre- revised OM No. 23(02)/2001- Judl. & OM No. 22(02)/2001- dated 14th July 2001 read with OM No. 23(02)/2011- Judl. dated 1st October 2011 shall continue to remain applicable unless specifically revoked/revised.
Note: There will be no celling on the number of conference/consultation in the case of Special Counsel, however in the case of other categories of Counsels, the number of conferences per cases will be limited to four (relaxable to six) at the discretion of the Incharge (Litigation) of Branch Secretariat, Mumbai/Kolkata.
Table – D
All the District & Subordinate Courts throughout the Country
The fee structure applicable to Standing Government Counsel and Additional Standing Government Counsel in all the District & Subordinate Courts throughout the Country as per the following rates:
| Sl. No. | Item of work | Rate of fee (all figures are in Indian Rupees) |
| 1. | Retainership fee admissible to ‘Standing Government Counsel’ only (per month) (except in Delhi) | 9600/- |
| 2. | Fee for effective hearing (per case per day) | 2880/- |
| 3. | Fee for non-effective hearing (per case per day for maximum five non-effective hearings in a case) | 960/- |
| 4. | Fee for drafting Written Statement, Grounds of Appeal, etc. (per pleading) | 2400/- |
| 5. | Fee for drafting other pleadings of misc. nature (per pleading) | 960/- |
| 6. | Fee per Conference* (Subject to maximum five conferences in a case or group of identical cases) | 1440/- |
| 7. | Daily fee for out of Headquarters (per day) | 3600/- |
| 8. | Entitlement for travel / hotel expenses for services available out of Headquarters | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 8 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. |
| 9. | Clerkage 10% of total fee excluding miscellaneous and out of pocket expenses | 8400/- |
| 10. | Fee in identical/connected cases | 1200/- |
| 11. | Out of pocket and Misc. expenses | As per actual and subject to satisfaction of Ministry / Department concerned |
All other terms and conditions applicable to above mentioned Counsels in to this Departments’ OM No. 27(11)/1999- Judd dated 24.09.1999 read with OM No. 27 (25)/2011- Judd. dated 01.09.2011, shall continue to remain applicable unless specifically revoked/revised.
Table-E
Panel Counsel for conducting arbitration cases before the arbitrators and arbitration tribunals
The fee structure applicable to counsel for conducting arbitration cases before the arbitrators and arbitration Tribunals as per the following rates:
| Sl. No. | Item of work | Senior Arbitration Counsel | Junior Arbitration Counsel |
| 1. | Fee for effective hearing (per appearance) | 3600/- | 2400/- |
| 2. | Fee for Non-effective hearing (per appearance and for maximum four hearings in a case) | 720/- | 480/- |
| 3. | For drafting pleadings (per pleading) | 2400/- | 1200/- |
| 4. | Conference fee (subject to a maximum of three conferences in a case) | 720/- | 480/- |
| 5. | Daily fee (Out of Headquarters) (per day) | 4800/- | 360/- |
| 6. | Entitlement for travel / hotel expenses (for services availed out of Headquarters) | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 12 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. | Where a Counsel is required to perform journey outside the headquarter in the course of his duty duties (official purpose), he shall be paid or reimbursed travelling and on boarding and lodging as per the level – 11 of 7th CPC of the Central Government. |
| 7. | Clerkage (NEW ITEM) | 10% of total fee in a case subject to a maximum of Rs. 2880/- | |
All other terms and conditions applicable to OM No. 30(3)/99- Judl. dated 24.09.99 read with OM No. 26(1)/2005/Judl. dated 31.01.2008, shall continue to remain applicable unless specifically revoked/revised.
2. The above revised fee will be effective from 01.02.2026.
3. The counsels will be paid fee at the old rates in respect of their appearance in the Court etc. and other work done by them prior to 01.02.2026 and at the revised rates in respect of the work done by them on/after 01.02.2026.
4. This issues with the approval of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure E.II(B) Branch, ID Note No.9/8/2025- E.II(B) dated 02.03.2015 and 12.01.2026.
(M C Prusty)
Senior Government Advocate
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