Document writers have condemned the recent hike in fees for registration and services offered by registrar offices and alleged their rights are being curtailed unnecessarily.
To protest against the decision, document writers have decided to stage dharna in front of sub-registrar offices on Wednesday.
Spokesmen for the All Kerala Document Writers and Scribes Association alleged at a press conference on Tuesday that the hike in fee for various services offered by registrar offices was unwarranted and unaffordable. For example, the fee for possession certificate spanning 14 years had been raised from Rs.76 to 260 and for copy of document kept in registrar office from Rs.81 to Rs.310. These were certificates most often sought from registration offices by common people. The registration fee on holiday had been also raised to Rs.1,000. For executing registration at home the fee had been upped to Rs.1,000 from Rs.175.
The association has also taken strong exception to restrictions on entry of document writers to registrar offices and applying for certificates or copies of documents on behalf of their clients.
“This is unfair… there are no restrictions on advocates’ clerks and advocates entering courts. Under the Registration Act anyone is free to apply for these documents,” spokesmen for the association P. Rajagopal and K. Krishnadas said.
