The Law Ministry has revised and increased the fees payable to government counsels across courts, marking a significant nationwide update. Supreme Court Group ‘A’ lawyers will now receive Rs.21,600 per hearing, while the Solicitor General gets Rs.96K monthly.
The Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, has released an important notification updating the fee structure for various categories of Central Government Counsel.
This revision, outlined in Office Memorandum No. J-12011/6/2025-Judicial/E.158060, dated February 5, 2026, applies to counsels appearing before the Supreme Court, High Courts, Tribunals, District Courts, and Arbitration Tribunals.
The new rates are effective from February 1, 2026.
Supreme Court Fee Structure (Table ‘A’)
The notification highlights a significant increase for counsels representing the Union of India in the Supreme Court, differentiating between Group ‘A’ Counsel and Group ‘B’ & ‘C’ Counsel.
- Final Hearings: For all Regular Appeals and defended Writ Petitions at final hearing, Group ‘A’ Counsel will earn Rs 21,600 per case per day, while Group ‘B’ & ‘C’ Counsel will be compensated Rs 14,400.
- Admission Matters: For defended admission matters including SLPs and Writ Petitions, Group ‘A’ will receive Rs 14,400, and Group ‘B’ & ‘C’ will get Rs 7,200.
- Drafting: The fee for drafting SLPs, Counter Affidavits, or Rejoinders is set at Rs 14,400 for Group ‘A’ and Rs 7,200 for Group ‘B’ & ‘C’.
- Outstation Services: Daily fees for services rendered outside Headquarters match the hearing fees: Rs 21,600 for Group ‘A’ and Rs 14,400 for Group ‘B’ & ‘C’.
High Courts and Tribunals (Table ‘B’)
The revised fee structure for High Courts and Tribunals, excluding the Principal Benches of Bombay and Calcutta High Courts, applies to Deputy Solicitors General (Dy. SG), Senior Central Government Standing Counsel (Sr. CGSC), among others.
- Retainership: A monthly retainership fee of Rs 14,400 is available to all Deputy Solicitors General of India, Sr. CGSC, and CGSC (Delhi High Court).
- Hearings: The charge for effective hearings in Writ Petitions, Appeals, and Suits is Rs 14,400 per case per day. For non-effective hearings, the fee is Rs 2,400 (limited to five such hearings).
- Drafting: Fees for drafting pleadings and counter-affidavits are fixed at Rs 4,800 per pleading.
Special Rates for Bombay and Calcutta (Table ‘C’)
Acknowledging the unique nature of litigation in the Principal Benches of the Bombay and Calcutta High Courts, a distinct fee table (Table ‘C’) has been established.
- Suits and Appeals: Special Counsel will earn Rs 14,400 per effective hearing, while Senior Counsel Group-I and Group-II will receive Rs 9,600 and Rs 6,000, respectively.
- Drafting: Special Counsel will be compensated Rs 6,000 for drafting pleadings, while Senior Counsel Group-I will receive Rs 4,800.
District and Subordinate Courts (Table ‘D’)
For Standing Government Counsel in District and Subordinate Courts across the country:
- Retainership: The monthly retainership fee is Rs 9,600 (except in Delhi).
- Hearings: The fee for an effective hearing is Rs 2,880 per case per day, and Rs 960 for a non-effective hearing.
- Drafting: Drafting a Written Statement or Grounds of Appeal will yield a fee of Rs 2,400 per pleading.
Arbitration Cases (Table ‘E’)
The Office Memorandum also revises fees for arbitration matters:
- Senior Arbitration Counsel: Rs 3,600 per effective hearing.
- Junior Arbitration Counsel: Rs 2,400 per effective hearing.
- Drafting: Rs 2,400 for Senior Counsel and Rs 1,200 for Junior Counsel per pleading.
The notification states that when a counsel must travel outside their headquarters for official duties, they will receive travel, boarding, and lodging expenses aligned with Level 12 of the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) for senior categories, and Level 11 for others.
Regarding “Connected Cases,” the OM clarifies that if substantially identical affidavits or petitions are drafted in connected cases, the full drafting fee is payable only for the main case. A nominal additional fee is prescribed for connected cases (e.g., Rs 1,500 per connected case for High Court matters if contested).
The Ministry has specified that counsels will be compensated at the previous rates for appearances and work completed before February 1, 2026.
The new rates will apply strictly to work done on or after this date. The revision has been issued with the approval of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, via ID Note No. 9/8/2025-E.II(B) dated January 12, 2026.
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