Chandigarh, March 26 -- A public interest litigation has been filed in high court seeking quashing of the notification/policy whereby the Punjab police has started imposing Rs.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 refe...