My uncle purchased three residential plots (1,500 sq. ft. each) in a DTCP-approved layout in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, in 2016 from a promoter. Later, the promoter allegedly redesigned the entire layout and included our plots in the revised layout, effectively depriving us of them.
We challenged the revised layout before the Madras High Court through a writ petition. The High Court did not decide the merits and instead granted us liberty to approach the competent civil court.
Our advocate now proposes filing a declaration suit but says we must pay court fees equal to 3% of the guideline value of the land.
My questions are:
- Is 3% of the guideline value the correct court fee for a declaration suit in Tamil Nadu?
- Which provision of the Tamil Nadu Court-Fees and Suits Valuation Act governs this calculation?
- Does the court fee depend on the specific relief sought, or is 3% the standard rule for declaration suits involving immovable property?
I would appreciate guidance from advocates familiar with civil litigation in Tamil Nadu.
