How to File a Defamation Case
in Chandigarh
A legal step-by-step guide for Chandigarh residents and businesses. A civil suit with an interim injunction is what takes content down quickly, while a criminal complaint under BNS 2023 s.356 (formerly IPC 499/500) can end in a conviction but removes nothing by itself.
Where to file in Chandigarh
The forums for a defamation matter in Chandigarh, each condensed from the official page or statute linked under Sources. Pecuniary limits, court fees and portals change by amendment and notification, so the Sources line gives the date they were read.
| High Court and seat or bench | Punjab and Haryana High Court, located in Chandigarh, the common High Court for Punjab, Haryana and the Union territory of Chandigarh. |
|---|---|
| Civil suit for damages or an injunction | There is no High Court original side, so the suit goes to the competent civil court by value at the District Courts, Chandigarh (Sector 43), under the Punjab Courts Act, 1918 as in force in the UT, lowest grade first (CPC s.15). |
| Criminal complaint under BNS s.356 | A Judicial Magistrate First Class having jurisdiction at the District Courts, Chandigarh. Cognizance of BNS s.356 defamation needs a complaint by the person aggrieved (BNSS s.222(1)), and the accused is heard before cognizance (s.223). |
| Court-fee statute | The Court Fees Act, 1870 as in force in UT Chandigarh, with the Punjab amendments extended to it in 2009 and 2017. |
| E-filing portal | District courts: https://filing.ecourts.gov.in/pdedev/. Punjab and Haryana High Court: the new portal https://new.phhc.gov.in/e-filing from 25.09.2026; compulsory e-filing for main cases resumes on 02.10.2026. |
| Free legal aid | DLSA, UT Chandigarh, chaired by the District & Sessions Judge. Under s.12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, free legal services go to women, children, SC/ST members and anyone under the notified income ceiling, among others. The legal services authority must also be satisfied that there is a prima facie case (s.13), and the income ceiling is the higher amount the State Government prescribes under s.12(h). |
Sources, read : High Court, highcourtchd.gov.in · Civil suit, indiacode.gov.in · Criminal complaint, indiacode.gov.in · Court fee, indiacode.gov.in · E-filing, highcourtchd.gov.in · Legal aid, nalsa.gov.in · Legal-aid conditions, nalsa.gov.in.
Legal process in Chandigarh.
Preserve the evidence: URLs, dates, archives and screenshots.
Choose the route: a criminal complaint under BNS 2023 s.356 (formerly IPC 499/500), a civil suit, or both. The partner law firm advises on which.
Legal notice: a notice to the originator often achieves removal without court proceedings.
Criminal complaint: by the person aggrieved, before a Judicial Magistrate of the first class for the place where the content was published or read.
Civil suit: for an injunction and damages, with an interim-injunction application where the harm is ongoing.
Each step in full: How to File a Defamation Case in India.
A civil suit with an interim injunction is what takes content down quickly, while a criminal complaint under BNS 2023 s.356 (formerly IPC 499/500) can end in a conviction but removes nothing by itself.
How long does it take to file a defamation case in Chandigarh?+
A criminal complaint or a civil suit runs on the court's calendar and usually takes months to decide. Interim relief is faster: where urgency is shown, a court can grant an injunction against the content at an early hearing. For Chandigarh, the partner law firm files a civil suit in the competent civil court in Chandigarh.
Can RepuLex help you file a defamation case in Chandigarh?+
Yes. RepuLex takes on this work for clients across Chandigarh and the rest of India; legal notices and court filings are drafted and served by the partner law firm. The IT Act 2000 and the IT Rules 2021 apply to every intermediary offering services in India, wherever the platform is hosted, so a notice for a Chandigarh client runs the same way as one sent from anywhere else. Where a court order is needed, the partner law firm files in the competent civil court in Chandigarh, and before Punjab & Haryana High Court for writ petitions.
What does it cost to file a defamation case in Chandigarh?+
This work is not priced per URL. After the free case assessment it is scoped and quoted as a fixed fee before any commitment, and there is no monthly retainer. The per-URL removal rates are on the pricing page.
Need help? RepuLex handles it for you in Chandigarh.
Free assessment · Fixed fee · Punjab & Haryana High Court jurisdiction · Written confirmation